Sun Staeri

## Summary

Perhaps on of the most culturally rich races of Lailahn, the Sun Staeri, or Sunsta, pride themselves in their growing knowledge of magic and their stunning polished stone cities. Hailing from both the dense, humid jungles and tropical forests and also the dry and unforgiving deserts of the land, the Sunsta have had to overcome and adapt to stay alive. Their fierce loyalty to their kin and drive to keep pressing on are clear indentations of this.

#### Desert Sunsta (Kressta)

Stern and unchanging, the Desert Sunsta, or Kressta, are much like their large stone buildings - enduring the harshness of their searing world with a stubborn refusal to be broken. Perhaps the more strict of the two types of Sunsta, the Kressta believe that the traditions are in place for a reason and aggressively ensure their laws and rules are obeyed. It is thought that this is how the Kressta have survived so long in one of the most unforgiving areas of the world.

Kressta are known for their stunning stone-work and for traveling vast distances to trade between their scattered settlements. They tend to be a bit wary of the other races of the world, preferring to keep to their kind.

#### Jungle Sunsta (Sulksta)

Living in dense, humid tropical forests, the Sulksta have had to overcome not just the harsh living conditions but also the dangers of jungle living. Adaptive, flexible and eager to learn, the Sulksta were once a very nomatic collection of Sunsta. As time went, they begun to build large stone structures as to better defend themselves from the beasts their shared the land with. Sulksta are more curious than their cousins, the Kressta, but are still very wary of outsiders. They still share some of the traditions of their kind, but take the laws of their kin with a grain of salt.

The Sulksta are known for their passion and free-spirited way of life. They travel the trees with grace, and make fantastic trackers.

**Important Note:** Both Kressta and Sulksta enjoy the finer things in life - wine, jewelry, education and good company. For the Kressta, higher class families tend to wear more jewelry to show their status where as for the Sulksta everyone can partake in wearing their finest gems and gold with no status attached to it.

## Deep Rooted Traditions

The most well known tradition of the Sunsta is perhaps that their believe their young and unmarried women should wear an article of clothing called the bhadeva. The bhadeva is a garment that covers the face, from the nose down to at least mid-neck that can be made out of any material so long as it is not sheer. The purpose of this neck covering is to symbolize the purity of the woman and to ensure possible suitors know the young woman is not spoken for. As the young woman reaches the age where she would be ready to be married, even the poorest of families will attempt to purchase or make stunning bhadevas lined in jewels or beautiful stitch-work to attract a suitable partner. Bhadevas are so commonly wore by the Sunsta that it is not uncommon for women to trade in their thick ones for sheer versions even after they are wed.

As marriage is not only important but sacred to the Sunsta, they like to make certain that others can tell their status. Both men and woman may adorn jeweled circlets to show they are wed; these circlets tend to be chain based with gems that dangle along the sides and front of them. It is more common for men to wear a necklace to show is status rather than circlet, but he may way either or even both.

Lastly, arranged marriages are still fairly common practice with the Sunsta elite. These sort of arrangements are typically done by the Kressta but the Sulksta high class do sometimes partake. No matter which type of Sunsta, arranged marriages are normally only done by the wealthy and well known to keep their bloodlines mingling with only the best of their kind. Lower class and poor families usually do not set up arranged marriages and middle class only tend to engage in them if it means allowing their children to marry into an upper class family. This is to the benefit of the next generation who will then after better resources and education usually.

## The Appearance of the Sunsta

Tall and slender, the Sunsta have had to adapt to the harsh heat of their tropic word. Their long limbs and pigmented skin are to shed heat and protect their flesh from sun damage. Needing to be nimble for traveling in the dense jungles and sturdy with a high endurance for passing through savage deserts, the Sunsta tend to have long, powerful legs.

**Skin Tones:**

Living in tropical forests, jungles and deserts, the Sunsta typically have tan complected skin. They usually range from shades of light caramel brown to deep mochas. You will never find a truly pale skinned Sunsta, no matter which area they are from.

**Hair color:**

Warm, rich and vibrant, the Sunsta's hair comes in a wide selection of colors. Most common would be shades of brown, from light chocolate to deep blackish brown, and everything in between. They also often have hair in shades of red and copper, auburn being common as well. You will never see an Sunsta with white, silver, gray or blonde hair.

It is important to note that Sunsta hair tends to be wavy or curly, not straight.

**Eye Color:**

Sunsta have cool colored eyes that contrast with their sun-kissed skin. The most common eye colors come in shades of blue and green. It is uncommon but not impossible for their eyes to be purple-blue in color. The most rare eye color for the Sunsta would be a blue-gray.

**Height and Body Build:**

Height is very dependent on which of the Sunsta you are looking at. Kressta, the desert living Sunsta, tend to be taller than their jungle cousins. A male Kressta can reach 6' to 6'5", but are never shorter than 5'10". Females are usually shorter, topping off at 5'11" but being no shorter than 5'7". Unlike their tall cousins, the Sulksta need to be smaller to more easily move through the dense forests they call home. Sulksta men can reach 6' in height but are more commonly around 5'8" to 5'10", but never shorter than 5'7". Their females follow this trend and tend to get no taller than 5'8" but no shorter than 5'3".

**Important Note:** The pointed ears of the Sunsta are about 3-4 inches longer than a standard human ear and tend to point in a slight angle and upwards rather than out and away from the skull.