Avaros

The Avaros are a race of avian Terrans who dwell in the forests of Western Malgruus. They make their home in treetop cities, unified as the nation of Avarna. The Avaros were once famous for their free-spirited nature, and were known to fly across the world seeking adventure and new experiences. They were the most adaptable of the Terrans found in Malgruus, and were quick to adopt new customs and technology from their neighbours. In the modern day, Avarosi society has become more restrictive. Each Avaros is assigned a role suited to them in adolescence, and carry out that role for the remainder of their life. This has led to an efficient and conflict-free society, but has inspired rising discontent amongst the citizenry in recent years.

## Appearance

The Avaros are anthropomorphic birds, sporting feathers, talons, tailfeathers, beaks. They do not have arms, but their wings are capable of dexterous movement and manipulation in the same manner. Their shape and size is largely similar to that of humans, growing to be between 5 and 6 feet tall on average. Beyond these details, they can take on a wide range of colours and proportions, mirroring the diversity of traditional birds. Some Avaros have more rounded torsos with smaller limbs, beaks, and muted feathers. Others have broad chests, thick beaks, and iridescent feathers. Feathers in bright, saturated colours, pointed beaks, long thin legs, large wings, sleek bodies; the Avaros are too varied to list. These differences are genetic, and are evenly distributed throughout Avarosi society.

The Avaros have little practical need for clothing, as their feathers provide both modesty and protection from the elements. Nevertheless, they place great cultural importance on self expression through clothing. Avarosi fashion is ever changing, as they are free to experiment with wildly different shapes and styles without fear of sacrificing practical benefits. Skirts, dresses, and robes are some of the most enduring items amongst the Avaros, and inevitably regain popularity every few years. It is also common to wear a single upper garment, or a body suit. Fitted clothing, including pants and shirts, are occasionally worn despite their general incompatibility with Avarosi physiology. Some passing trends include leather straps and harnesses, hats, capes and cloaks, leg warmers, and scarves. Restraint is not common in Avarosi fashion, and trends tend to become quite gaudy late in their lifespan.

## Abilities

Out of all the Terans, the Avaros are perhaps the weakest in single combat. They are not born fighters, and avoid open conflict whenever possible. Instead, the Avaros excel in strategy and subterfuge. They have incredible eye sight, allowing them to spot foes from several kilometers away. Their light bodies make them susceptible to physical blows, but provides them with great speed and agility. They make excellent use of verticality, and can jump much further than any other mortal race. These techniques are utilized by the Avarosi assassins, the Shasa, who eliminate key political enemies before they can pose a threat. The Shasa are skilled in the use of bows and throwing weapons, preferring to snuff out their enemy from afar. If they are forced into combat, they are trained to make use of grand, sweeping movements to distract and disorient their opponent. This allows them to topple their opponent, and proceed at an advantage. The Avaros do not have a standing army, but have on-occasion participated in traditional warfare. Avarosi soldiers are usually equipped with spears and hardened leather armour. Avarosi tactics focus on utilizing their advanced mobility to lead enemies into disadvantageous terrain, breaking apart enemy formations, or leading them into an ambush.

The Avaros possess an affinity with wind, and conjure its power frequently. This magic is typically used to navigate Avarosi transportation mechanisms, moving elevators and gondolas between treetops. In combat, they use this ability to kick up dust, disarm opponents, or push them off balance. Some of the Shasa are capable of harnessing wind to turn their own feathers into deadly darts. It is said that the Avaros were once capable of flight, but this ability has long been lost to them. In the modern day, simply gliding is an extremely difficult task. Most use their magic to help them simply ascend and descend without injury.

## Behaviour

For millennia, Avarosi society has put one goal above all others: the search for one's purpose. Every Avaros longs to find their calling, and fulfill it to the best of their ability. In the past, teenage Avaros were sent out into the world to seek their purpose. They would travel on the winds, often for many years, to learn of the world and their place in it. They would then return home to inform their community of their chosen path, and pursue it wherever it lead. During this time, Avarosi society was composed of disparate city states, scattered across the western forests of Malgruus. Over time, these city states were unified into a singular nation, ruled as an oligarchy. These rulers introduced a new approach to the search for purpose. These oligarchs claimed that old customs lead to a scattered people, sent youth on dangerous journeys, and brought stress and fear for those unsure of their place. This new system would raise children in a unified education system, and assign them a suitable role on the day that they would normally be cast out. This means that Avarosi would no longer have to search for a purpose, and instead could rest easy in the knowledge that they were contributing to the greater good. The oligarchs claimed that this change was necessitated when the Avaros lost their ability to fly. However, in recent years some discontent Avarosi have begun to murmur that these changes occurred before the loss of flight, not after. Perhaps the winds of change have begun to blow through Avarna?

The Avaros make their home in the great forests of Western Malgruus. These forests contain enormous trees, hundreds of metres tall. Avarosi cities are built in and around these trees, high in the air. These cities resemble a grand web of treehouses, connected by wires, gondolas, elevators, sails, and hanging bridges. Most privately owned buildings are nestled in branches or alongside the trunks of these trees, while larger, state owned buildings are carved into the trees themselves. These grand forests give way to wetlands in the north, leading to some Avarosi villages instead being constructed low to the ground on stilts.

While the Avaros have little to no freedom in their choice of profession, they are able to pursue hobbies and entertainment in their free time. There is a large textiles and fashion industry in Avarna, and the largest cities have formalised fashion houses for the development and display of the newest trends. Performance is also extremely popular amongst the Avaros, and most Avarosi settlements contain an ampitheatre for music and theatre. Avarosi teahouses are another popular location for socialising, and are a hub for gossip. Avarosi are allowed to pursue romance on their own terms, but it has become more common in recent years for couples to be set up by parents or elders in their community.

The Avaros are omnivores, and eat diets primarily consisting of fruit, berries, seeds, and small mammals. Meals are usually quite simple, and the Avarosi prefer to bring out the natural flavours of their ingredients through slow roasting or grinding. Physical affection is often saved for close friends and family, expressed through head rubs, bathing, or group preening. Instead, the Avaros prefer to express love and get to know others through words, and are quite verbose. Praise is extremely common between Avarosi, and often extremely specific. Gender is not a significant aspect of Avarosi society, and members of this race are capable of changing their biological gender depending on the needs of the community, or for personal preference.