Tirivahni

==The Tirivahni==
The Tirivahni people hail from a world called Ul-Zaorith.  They are a unique race of shapeshifters and are the descendants of a celestial spirit race (also known as lesser deities). These celestial spirits immigrated to the Earth Realm during a Gods War from ancient times in search of a stable home, requiring them to take on a corporeal form. No longer gods, the Tirivahni showcase their link to their past by taking on the form of a sacred animal from the Iseapo pantheon once they come of age.
The country of Tirivahn was occupied for hundreds of years, during which time their infrastructure, culture, and society was completely dismantled. In modern days, many Tirivahni come from a slave lineage. 
==Appearance==
The Tirivahni do have a set colour spectrum for their skin, hair, and eyes. They also tend to be a rather sleek race. Those who are heavier set are not so pudgy as they are stockier in build.
The Tirivahni are very pale skinned ranging from milk white to lightly tanned, and some even have honey coloured freckles (which come in 5 distinct patterns; beauty mark; smattering; dusting; flank; crown). Tirivahni hair colours fall on the purple and blue spectrum, ranging from near-white hues to nigh black. However, Tirivahni hair colours cannot fall into the blue-green or purple-red spectrums. Their eye colour can be any shade of orange (not too pink or too red) or green (not too yellow or too blue). Heterochromia as well as piebald or ombre coloured hair are naturally occurring in Tirivahni, though piebaldism and ombre hair are a bit more rare. 
Those sexed as female tend to be taller, and have broader shoulders than those sexed male of their race. The females also have narrower hips and more defined muscles, as well as the added advantage of being better at growing facial hair. Men typically are more hourglass in shape and have fuller hips. While men can also grow facial hair they are more prone to growing it unevenly.
==Fashion==
There are no pants in Tirivahn! Both genders wear skirts - male skirts are sleeker and are made with straighter lines, while female skirts are more voluminous and often use hoops for structure. Work clothes, which are akin to kilts, are a more casual/rustic option. Those who identify as femme will often wear bloomers for casual wear while those who identify as masculine will wear kilts. Court fashion consists of longer sleeves and skirts skirts with more embellishments or detail, utilizing fancier patterns and fabrics. Lower classes don’t get to go to court, but occasionally they will wear court fashions at formal events.
A lot of the clothes crafted in Tirivahn are made from wool, silk, and linen.  The Tirivahni place so much emphasis on the natural world that they don’t have any synthetic fabric - everything is a natural fiber.  Some materials are more elastic, which they use on pantyhose and gloves, but they are made from Alchemical materials instead of synthetics.
Tartan patterns are used quite commonly in Tirivahn and often identify different military formations/uniforms. Specific color combinations and patterns were given to certain groups during Tirivahn’s revolution. Those family lines today still have those tartan patterns, which they view as badges of honor.  The most well known pattern is, of course, the Royal Tartan, a specific shade of forest green and cold purple. It’s considered rude and bad form to wear forest green and cold purple together if you do not belong to the royal family. 
Fashion goes through “seasons,” and there are no connotations for gender regarding colors.  However, pastels and paler colors are considered more formal.  Darker colors are more utilitarian because they’re harder to see stains on (so for work, travel, etc).  Either gender can wear any color - though many Tirivahni pick the colour of their attire with their own hair and eye colour in mind. Your Elemental Prime can also influence your colour choices:
In fashion, the nine elements are represented by the following colours:
* Planet: orange/bronze
* Sun: gold/yellow
* Moons: silver/grey
* Earth: green
* Air: purple
* Water: blue
* Fire: red
* Light: white
* Dark: black
Tirivahni will often choose to wear these colours as a statement, providing information to outsiders about an individual’s temperament or to broadcast a specific image of themself and how they want the world to perceive them. Clothing colour is often, but not always, an intentional choice.
Waist cinchers and corsets are used for both genders in different ways, and are meant to be used as support.  For someone who has breasts, they will often use a brazier, but corsets are also often worn to protect organs.  Of course, vanity is also involved here - both male and female Tirivahni appear more elegant when their hip and waist ratio is exaggerated.  There are some cinchers and corsets that are less tightly waisted, and some that offer a more extreme effect. For those that are breasts, the corsets go over the chest as well, but there are some that go under the breast with a loose blouse. Those who lack breasts or are more masculine will wear cumberbuns and waist cincher. 
When doing more outdoorsy activities you will often find Tirivahni choosing boots, and shoes for when inside.  Footwear that is open below the ankle is considered “indoor” footwear.  You have to keep those stockings clean!  Heels are specifically for looking taller. Some Tirivahni consider the use of heels to be flamboyant, and believe it to be a very impractical type of footwear.  A Tirivahni might wear heels for a date or interview or the bedroom, but not for traveling or other everyday activities.
Makeup is something all genders wear. Wearing makeup is typically for going to court, but it’s become more socially acceptable to wear it outside of that situation - in parties or festivals.  The colors are based on your outfit, so a Tirivahni would match their makeup to their clothes. Also, hair length has no connection to gender presentation - longer hair is considered more elegant, while shorter hair is considered more practical. 
==Culture==
The Tirivahni lost a great deal of their culture when their country was occupied by Speritan. The following is recompiled by the Greos Tirilys records of the Yuellisi Stofftiere hidden city that thrived until Emperor Falian freed his people and officialized their records, myths, religious practices and arts. 
==Sexuality and Gender==
The Tirivahni are a naturally androgynous race of people, so they do not operate on the same gender spectrum as humans do. For better comprehension as a human reader learning about a very alien, vastly different race of people, human terminology has been used to bridge the gap.  If Tirivahni had evolved on Earth they would be gender-inclusive and accepting of all gender identities such as agender, demiboy, bigender, etcetera. However, Tirivahni are not humans. There has not been a need to construct and define non-binary terms in Tirivahni society and so they simply use she/her and he/him pronouns regardless of grey area or out-of-spectrum genders. The closest approximation to 'non-binary' that exists within Tirivahni society would be someone who presents femme one day and masculine the next. These people are referred to as Mutables.
While certain things may be more likely of certain sexes due to physical capabilities, there are no toxic expectations of gender archetypes. Instead, there are more expectations or stereotypes (both bad and good) placed on the different beasts a Tirivahni will one day grow into.
Gender does not reflect physical reproductive organs or secondary traits. For example, if your Tirivahni has breasts, they may still use he/him pronouns. To elaborate, it is important to know that Tirivahni as a race would not question someone with sexed body parts using different pronouns then those assigned at birth. A Tirivahni would also not scoff, raise a questioning brow, or otherwise call out someone for frequently switching between pronouns. Shifting pronouns are commonplace in Tirivahn and mentally making the switch on how you refer to your peers is seamless.
Examples: 
* Farowyn was sexed intersex at birth. Farowyn uses he/him pronouns and is therefore male. 
* Smaeby was sexed female at birth. Smaeby switches between she/her and he/him pronouns and is therefore mutable.
* Tesha was sexed female at birth. Tesha uses she/her pronouns and is therefore female.
Below is a breakdown of the gender archetypes. Regardless of Elemental Prime, you can still have a different “elemental” gender archetype you belong to.
PLANET
Suzaovoiz (Male): 
• Austere
• Uncompromising
• Demanding
• Pragmatic
• Cautious
• Ambitious	Suzaoavoi (Female): 
• Commanding
• Decisive
• Charismatic
• Planning
• Controlled
• Visionary
SUN
Daevoiz (Male): 
• Seductive
• Compelling
• Convincing
• Zealous
• Driven
• Conniving	Daeavoi (Female):
• Charming
• Luminous
• Convincing
• Egotistical
• Sure
• Gregarious
MOONS
Ellervoiz (Male): 
• Shy
• Contemplative
• Intuitive
• Overthinker
• Fearful
• Gentle	Elleravoi (Female): 
• Retiring
• Wise
• Intuitive
• Nostalgic
• Oscillating
• Sensitive
LIGHT
Vilvoiz (Male):
• Naive
• Trusting
• Gullible
• Hopeful
• Attention-Seeking
• Easily-led	Vilavoi (Female):
• Cheerful
• Courageous
• Innocent
• Optimistic
• Helpful
• Faithful
DARK
Lofvoiz (Male):
• Wallflower
• Antisocial
• Self-contented
• Introspective
• Pessimistic
• Suspicious	Loffavoi (Female):
• Mysterious
• Isolated
• Remote
• Secretive
• Morose
• Untrusting
AIR
Arivoiz (Male):
• Innovative
• Engaging
• Problem-Solver
• Friendly
• Gossip
• Anarchist	Ariavoi (Female):
• Inspired
• Talkative
• Creative
• Sociable
• Flippant
• Unreliable
FIRE
Ehivoiz (Male): 
• Promiscuous
• Defensive
• Antagonistic
• Impatient
• Jealous
• Generous	Ehiavoi (Female):
• Flirty
• Competitive
• Physical
• Restless
• Impetuous
• Sexual
WATER
Arethvoiz (Male):
• Expressive
• Emotional
• Anxious
• Needy
• Empathic
• Honest	Arethavoi (Female): 
• Fickle
• Deep-feeling
• Temperamental
• Sensitive
• Compassionate
• Supportive
EARTH
Kivarvoiz (Male): 
• Protective
• Decisive
• Predictable 
• Stable
• Hardworking
• Proud	Kivaravoi (Female):
• Overprotective
• Nurturing
• Strong-willed
• Stagnant
• Diligent
• Controlling
All Tirivahni, with very few exceptions, will experience romantic and sexual attraction for other genders in varying shades of grey. A Tirivahni individual may be predominantly attracted to one gender romantically and sexually, but there will always be an exception to their personal rules of attraction.
The only exception to how the Tirivahni experience attraction is in the case of two specific beasts. Tirivahni who are exclusively straight (meaning that they are only romantically and sexually attracted to those with parts sexed differently than their own) will become an Ida (the rabbit). On the flip side, if a Tirivahni is strictly a homosexual (they are only romantically or sexually attracted to those with parts that have been sexed the same as their own) will become an Apec (the eagle).
==Marriage==
In Tirivahn there are two types of unions.
Pedhounys are union contracts to establish alliances and social order. Houses fuse resources (including land, material resources, and social standing) to create stability. These households become responsible for their dependents (among the poor this is typically their children and elders; among the upper classes this can also include servants, villagers, or students). These matches must be compatible in temperament, such as friends, business partners, or romantic matches.
Leithnys are unions of experience, where two to three souls are bound together in a devotion ceremony. Their property is not transferred, but they are bound together for interests of safety, health, love, travel, and sexuality.
You can have a Pedhouny and a Leithny with separate people, or you can share a Pedhouny and Leithny with the same person. It is more common to have a separate Pedhouny and Leithny. It is also expected that Pedhounys will raise children together, either by adopting their own or siring/birthing together. Sometimes a member of the Pedhouny can bring in their Leithny connection to birth or sire a child for them. Children conceived and birthed this way belong to the Pedouny’s household.
==Family Units==
Family units in Tirivahn consist of a Pedhouny (or in certain time periods a Leithny) and any number of children.The Tirivahni as a race are not overly fertile people. Those who were born male only have a single teste, while those who were born female have a single ovary. With how narrow and small female bodies are (as their hips have a hard time expanding for child birth), it is quite difficult to successfully carry a child to term. Deciding to have a child in Tirivahn is not a decision made lightly. Not only do you need to ensure that you have the resources to care for the child, but you also have to make sure you have the connections to guarantee future employment for any children you do have. Having large immediate families is incredibly uncommon. Many Tirivahni are lucky to have a single child, as infant mortality rates are quite high. Potential mothers also have a high risk of complications resulting in death. Twins are incredibly rare, and oftentimes one of the twins or mother will pass away due to complications. 
It takes about 8 months to carry a child to full term, and the recovery time for a woman after giving birth is upwards of a year. 
Luckily adoption is very prevalent in Tirivahn, so if you are a same-sex couple or if one wishes to avoid the risks of carrying a child there are other options available. Adoption is seen as being of equal worth compared to having biological children. At the end of the day, Tirivahni consider continuing a family tree and adding variety to the bloodlines more important than maintaining a pure bloodline.
==Coming of Age==
The biggest signifer that a Tirivahni has come of age is their first shift into their beast form. To fully understand why the shift to a beast form exists for the Tirivahni and not the other races of Ul-Zaorith, we must first understand that the Tirivahni are the descendants of a celestial spirit race (also known as lesser deities). These celestial spirits immigrated to the Earth Realm during a Gods War from ancient times in search of a stable home, requiring them to take on a corporeal form. 
As evidence of this important piece of their history, the Tirivahni can take on the form of a sacred animal from the Iseapo pantheon.  There comes a critical time in every young Tirivahni’s life when a God or Goddess selects and welcomes an individual Tirivahni into their house. This spiritual shift occurs when a Tirivahni reaches twelve to eighteen years of age.
The first time changing into a Tirivahni’s beast form can be a scary or thrilling experience, depending on the Elemental Prime. 
In Ul-Zaorith there are many different ways of recognizing the Elements, but all races agree that the matter in life is composed of these Elements. The most accurate of these beliefs is the Tirivahni Life Spark.
The Tirivahni believe that every person, creature, plant or item is composed of the Nine Elements. The more complex an object becomes, the more of the Elements are involved in its composition, leading to higher and higher life forms, until you add in the final Element, Planet, to create sentience.
The Nine Elements are, in order from basest to most celestial:
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Dark, Light, Sun, Moons, Planet.
There are five Tece Iseapo and 28 Tenye Iseapo. It’s important to note that being a Child of one of the Tece is incredibly unlikely and very rare. There are only ever 50-100 alive at any given time out of a population of roughly 30 million people. 
The sacred beasts to each of the Tece include:
* Griffon, sacred to Iaea 
* Unicorn, sacred to Iea 
* Capricorn, sacred to Itu 
* Giant Sea Turtle, sacred to Unu 
* Dragon, sacred to Fao 
The sacred beasts to each of the Tenye include:
* Serpent, sacred to Bis
* Lion, sacred to Icao
* Gazelle, sacred to Iom
* Monkey, sacred to Icc
* Dog, sacred to Imo
* Tiger, sacred to Iso
* Falcon, sacred to Ilo
* Butterfly, sacred to Iho
* Fish, sacred to Upu
* Crab, sacred to Osce
* Cow, sacred to Nam
* Pig, sacred to Pica
* Shark, sacred to Iadb
* Rooster, sacred to Ebrd
* Rhino, sacred to Ibrd
* Spider, sacred to Wipo
* Bear, sacred to Ioc
* Scorpion, sacred to Asadb
* Ram, sacred to Unor
* Stag, sacred to Cern
* Lamb, sacred to Ce
* Peacock, sacred to Oas
* Rabbit, sacred to Ida (if a Tirivahni is heterosexual, they will always be an Ida)
* Eagle, sacred to Apec (if a Tirivahni is homosexual, they will always be an Apec)
* Horse, sacred to Asean
* Mouse, sacred to Imf
* Panther, sacred to Nea
* Wolf, sacred to Eknar
You can read up in detail about the different beast forms here.
Note that the images you see are the Deities’ colours and those of the wild beasts that exist within the world of Ul-Zaorith. Your Tirivahni, when shifted, would have colours based on their hair, eyes, and skin colour. So, for example, if your Tirivahni is a Child of Iso with ice blue hair, amber coloured eyes, and pale milky skin, their tiger form would be a base coat of ice blue fur, milky white stripes, and amber coloured eyes.
==Death==
To be filled out.
==Education==
To be filled out.
==Cuisine==
Tirivahn was occupied for about 700 years, and during that time two cultures occupied them, influencing their cuisine. The Suoro (a race that evolved from cats and look quite elvish) introduced the concept of Elemental Dining where a High Tea is presented with nine different flavours representing each of the elements; sweet (light), savory/umame (planet), bitter (dark), sour (moons), spicy (fire), effervescent (air), salty (water), earthy/woody (earth), and tangy (sun). This type of spread is typically reserved for fancy events. Normally, a Tirivahn’s palette is more inclined towards subtle flavours, but they do have quite a sweet tooth. As such, Tirivahni do pastries very well!  Sweet and savory pastries are a staple for most meals, and Tirivahni bakers specialize in flaky doughy treats. They love meat buns, flaky fruity pastries, fish pastries, and hand pies. Pastas are something that was adopted by the Tirivahni, introduced by the Speritanian people (a race that evolved from bears that are incredibly strong). 
Even though the Tirivahni are shifters who can turn into beasts, food animals exist in Tirivahn! Pigs and fish are primarily eaten for protein, and they do not typically eat cows due to milk having so many purposes.  No matter what animal it is, Tirivahni offer prayers of thanks to the animal for providing its energy and life force.  Every part of it must be used. Being supremely superstitious, if a Tirivahni receive a bad omen when hunting, a Tirivahni will stop the hunt. Meat is always a small portion of a larger meal. Tirivahni meals should be mostly made with a focus on vegetables and grains.
Krealla is a favourite among many Tirivahni. They are twisted buttery pastries with cinnamon sugar, tied in a small knot, are roughly fist sized, and are about 2-3 inches tall.  They are commonly had with tea, as a side treat with breakfast, and very common at festivals!
Meals tend to be several smaller dishes instead of one giant meal, and it is typical to eat with coworkers or family.  One does not have to eat anything specific.  Depending on a Tirivahni’s animal form, they may be averse to certain foods, but they also might have an affinity for something similar to what their animal form likes - Tirivahni typically modify their diet to match their beast form once discovered. 
Tirivahn does not have much in the way of tea. They have red tea and white tea which naturally occur in Tirivahn, while yellow tea is imported. Red tea tastes like coffee, with a strong, slightly acidic woody taste.  It possesses a deep golden-red color, like rooibos or hibiscus tea and is generally had in the morning or in order to fortify, and is generally blended with citrus. White tea is lighter, used as a digestive, and has a grassy, citrusy flavour.  It is typically had after a meal to help the stomach settle.  It is good if you’re recovering from illness or getting sick. Yellow tea is brought in from the country of Bodove (populated by the Bodovidan people, which are similar to cat and dog people), and is an herbal tea, made from flowers, and has flavour similar to honeybush.
Alcohol is typically used for cooking - sauces, preservation, and as an aperitif with a meal for a digestive, or for medicinal use.  Tirivahni do not process alcohol well, and are severe lightweights!  Their alcohol is rather weak - a 4% alcoholic content is considered normal.  Anything higher than that would be diluted or cooked off.  No hard liquor is used in Tirivahn, as it would make them very sick.  The consumption of alcohol is very much a social thing, but it’s expected that if you are drinking out with your friends that you will know when to stop. There arel drinking age restrictions in Tirivahn, but younger members of the community are encouraged not to drink outside of special occasions. Juice is often only consumed by children, but can be used as a mixer or chaser by adults.
If you can’t finish your food, all that’s leftover is passed down to those in need. Tirivahn has a no-waste policy, and anything that cannot be eaten safely is composted to grow more food with.
==Comparative Statistics==
Intelligence:
14/16. The Tirivahni are one of the most intelligent and artistic nations. They have a good balance between the functional and the beautiful, easily picking up new tasks, with keen perception, even without using their corresponding beast talents. They learn quickly, able to understand everything from science to philosophy, trades to martial arts, languages to history with competent skill. They are creative, easily reconciling opposing points of view. They show foresight, tolerance and curiosity, making them an easily integrated part to negotiations, companies and still (despite the country's outrage towards the continuing practise) slavery. 
Wisdom:
16/16. The Tirivahni are one of the wisest races in the world. They are deeply connected with the earth, spirits, Gods, magic, each other and themselves. They have a deep capacity for empathy and compassion, for forgiveness and peacekeeping. Unfortunately their numbers are small, and like any culture embracing diversity and individuality, they do have their share of deviants. However, they have been one of the leading voices of reason and sustainability after the fall of the Twins - who were Tirivahni themselves. They have been working to reconcile new forms of Ore Craft, such as modified pole arms, firearms and more advanced explosives with the old ways of magic and casting. 
Agility:
12/16. The Tirivahni are agile, dexterous and extremely flexible, making them superb dancers, martial artists and prowess-based fighters (such as with thrown weapons, daggers or rapiers). They are fairly fast, more based on sprinting than endurance, but have excellent reflexes. These qualities are usually (though not always) enhanced by their beast forms to reach further heights of acrobatic and reflexive skills. Their flexible tendons and joints does, however, hamper their raw strength. 
Strength:
8/16. The Tirivahni are about as strong as your average human, with a basic grip and basic endurance. They can, of course, train themselves up well, but on average are not inclined to building muscle mass, and instead develop a sleek or stocky form of natural strength from daily labours or exercise. It takes a great deal of dieting, weight training and hard exercise to really build up considerable strength, and even then, they have a hard time maintaining it. Women are more prone to being able to maintain strength than men, but even they rarely achieve stark definition. 
Resistance:
6/16. The Tirivahni have an extremely poor resistance. They are soft-bodied, delicately boned, sensitive beings, making them susceptible to a myriad of diseases that strike both mortals and beasts. They often die in childbirth, even with deities and magic at their aid. They are also highly susceptible to Realm Travel, exposing them to all manner of unknown illnesses, parasites, Realm Laws and dangers that easily overcome them. On a psychic level, they are equally sensitive and therefore often succumb to brain fevers, the illnesses associated with excessive magical casting, madness, league or spirits, and - should they live long enough - dementia in old age. 
Recovery:
12/16. Their ability to recover from illnesses is largely due to their body's high absorption rates of minerals, vitamins and magic. In the same way that they are open to disease, their bodies are equally open to the powers that would heal them. They tend to be largely influenced by emotions and mental states in the efficacy of their healing, and their beast form's Attributes can greatly help or hinder this ability to bounce back. Some find it easier to heal in an animal form, if they have a safe place in which to rest, and someone to care for them. 
NMP:
6/6. One of the reasons the Tirivahni, despite having the lowest birth rate in the world and the smallest nation, continue to be a driving force of chance, cultural influence and an authority on matters of world science. While the Lisdanese are greatly revered for the more mathematical, sterile aspects of science, no one knows the layers and magics of the world more intimately than these people. Their natural ability to Planeswalk has given them more knowledge than any other race on the make up of the world, and their extensive, highly active pantheon has given them a pure insight into the spiritual world. These influences and sources of information combined with their natural connection with the planet make them potent casters, easily tapping into Manna Weave and Huskline.
Category:Eastern continent
Category:Tirivahn
Category:races