Ak'arii

Ak'arii are a distinctly avian people native to the Verdant Valley in the south of Ealia. They are one of three ancestries created after the Withering, along with quetzlaka and azu. Ak'arii are arboreal and spend nearly as much time in the trees as they do on land. Because of their unique bills and distinctive voiceboxes, ak'arii are capable of unique languages and communication that are unique among other ancestries. They are often labeled as loud or chatty. Despite their considerable presence in Ealia, they may be grouped with quetzlaka and azu under the term wildkin. Ak'arii first appeared in Aedelor c. 100 DC and were created by Ak'araj to populate the skies of Aedelor, a plan that was eventually punished when Artellan discovered the joint-betrayal of Teocoatl. They stand between 3' — 4' and live up to 100 years. Ak'arii are usually Arazi, Odelian, Dalish, or Texotla. They are known for being group-oriented and living in warm, tropical forests. They're also known to have an outgoing, curious nature, and somewhat stunted linguistic capacity, which may appear uncivilized or foreign to other ancestries.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ak'arii stand upright like other humanoids, but share many characteristics with birds, especially toucans and hornbills. Ak'arii also exhibit large ornate crests which come in colors such as orange, yellow, red, green, and blue. Ak'arii lack hair but possess an array of feathers, which often come in bright and vivid shades, a trait that is very important in ak'arii beauty. They stand between three and four feet and are often much lighter than they appear. They have lightweight bones and unique talons which allow them to move swiftly through the tree tops with ease. Their eyes may be blue, green, yellow, and even red, with a dark pupil in the center

Genetics and Reproduction

Ak'arii often build their ornate nests in large trees and on cliffs away from the reach of local fauna. They lay clutches of up to 4 eggs, and incubate them for around 3 months before they hatch.

Growth Rate & Stages

Despite their small stature, Ak'arii have surprisingly long lifespans and can live up to 100 years. They often reach physical maturity between 15-20 years, and experience slow aging, with the vividness of their feather patterns dulling throughout their lives.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Ak'arii names vary drastically from other ancestries and are comprised of various clicks, whistles, and mimicry that are indicative of the individual's nature and personality. When an ak'arii comes of age, they choose a storied name that describes their greatest trials and successes, a way to memorialize their past and emphasize their life to come. Some ak'arii who have integrated into other cultures choose to take on human names, often at the behest of locals who are unable to pronounce their original ones.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The language of aka is the most widespread within Ak'arii colonies throughout Aedelor. It is intrinsic to ak'arii at birth, and even those born separate from a native speaker will have the ability to converse as if it had been taught from birth. Aka is nearly impossible for other ancestries to speak to the variety of clicks, whistles, and hums needed to convey proper pronunciation. Furthermore, aka sentence structure is fluid and does not have a designated structure. Ideas are conveyed in pieces, with the full meaning only revealing itself once the sentence has completed.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Ak'arii places great emphasis on family. Their settlements are often referred to as "rookeries", with large groups of multiple families coming together to form tree-top villages and cities. Due to the nature of their creator, ak'arii also believe that travel and adventure is essential to a fulfilled life, and aspire to see the beauties of Aedelor within their lifetimes. Stories are an intricate part of ak'arii culture, and they are regarded as having some of the most powerful prose of an any ancestry.

History

Like their spiritual cousins, quetzlaka and azus, ak'arii were created at the behest of Artellan of Arborea in an attempt to control Aedelor's sea, land, and sky. Ak'araj was tasked with creating an ancestry that would rule over the sky and desired to make them in the image of the birds, spirits truly free to explore the world at their behest. However, Ak'araj and Enonya, each desiring to please Artellan more than the others, conspired together to sabotage Teocoatl's kin. Through their efforts, quetzlaka were robbed of their emotions and warmth at the moment of their creation. Artellan, after discovering this ploy, was furious and sought retribution for their attempted deception. In turn with the gifts that were robbed of the quetzlaka, Artellan cursed the ak'arii to flightlessness, forever grounded and unable to explore the beauties of the sky.

No deed unseen, a tooth for a tooth. — Melisant Boudier, History of the World Vol. 3

After their creation in Vardanta at the end of the first century DC, the ak'arii retreated into the the depths of the jungles, unable to defend themselves from the hungering beasts and ancestries in the region who otherwise ensure their destruction. At the turn of the third century DC, many ak'arii began to migrate throughout Aedelor, integrating into the societies of other kin. While widely well received, some ak'arii have found trouble with locals, who hold contempt for the ak'arii's foreign forms of speech.