Kajuzurie (kɑˈʤuz'uɹaɪ̯)
About
The Kajuzurie are a race that reside primarily in Isteria. In texts from the Age of Kings they are referred to as the Mekhulasésa or more commonly Dragonborn, however the Kajuzurie despise these monikers. They see themselves as separate from the Dragonborn who still remain enslaved in their homeplane.
History
The Kajuzurie found themselves along the coast of the Dragonfire lakes during the reign of King Aeron Illimyra. In a foreign land with unknown peoples, the Kajuzurie pleaded their case as refugees. They told a fantastical story that many did not believe, but one they still stand behind today. The tale described their status as being slaves in another world to massive dragons, escaped through a portal to avoid being sent to war and arriving in Estia with nothing save the scales on their skin. The group included mostly females and young dragonborn, and so despite the outlandish tale, the King found sympathy for them. After discussing with his counselors, a decision was made. The Kajuzurie were offered a new homeland called Isteria. A large, southern isle that was being used as a penal colony. They were warned of the dangers but if they could tame the land it would be their own and they graciously accepted the offer.
Society & Culture
Mating & Childrearing
Unlike many other races, the Kajuzurie do not reproduce in family units or couple for the sake of love. Instead their coupling is determined by the Chromatic Order, who keep records of lineages and carefully manage the reproduction of the race for the purpose of its betterment. A ritual not unlike a marriage called a sutadhazou or "ancestral tie" is performed and two Kajuzurie are considered mated for 2 years or until an egg is laid. At that point the sutadhazou is considered fulfilled and the pair are expected to go their separate ways. The egg is handed over to an appropriate brood mother, who will oversee it's hatching and rearing as well as that of several other Kajuzurie simultaneously until they are considered fully grown.
During childhood, the Kajuzurie emphasize training of different kinds depending on the needs of the clan and the aptitude of the child with a single exception: survival. All Kajuzurie given extensive survival training specific to Isteria and its dangers. This training isn't just about the books either, but groups of children will be taken into the jungle to actually apply what they've learned. While these activities are dangerous and don't always end well, they are seen as necessary to surviving in such a hostile place.
Chromatic Clans
In the absence of strong familial ties, the Kajuzurie have very strong clan ties. While there is also familial relations within the clan, it is more akin to larger extended family. Clans are usually made up of several dozen to several hundred Kajuzurie who share the burdens of daily life, housing and craft. Clans self-designate roles within their numbers, and self-determine their goals, ambitions and elders.
A Kajuzurie child is assigned a clan from hatching, and will almost always be assigned to a clan one of their biological parents belongs to. While clans are not specifically designated based on scale color, the familial ties within the clans means that it is typical for a single color to dominate within a clan.
Languages, Dialects & Accents
Kajuzurie primarily speak Urien, a language that share ancestry with other draconic languages. What is notable about Urien, is that it does not utilize the lips at all when speaking, leaving lips to be only part of facial and emotional expressions during dialogue. It isn't uncommon to find this unnerving for those not familiar with the tongue or how it's spoken. It is also common then for Kajuzurie accents to miss or replace the letters that use lips in foreign languages. Words like 'stop' become 'stod' or 'sto-'. This is the easiest way to identify a native Urien speaker.
Genetics
The first Kajuzurie in Estia, known simply as the Kajuz was not a large group and they were further dwindled by the hardships they endured when first settling Isteria. The need to multiply their numbers was ever present but also often ended in disaster due to a greatly reduced gene pool. The Chromatic Order was founded then to help solve this problem, by determining the mating ties carefully based on lineage and dormant ancestries. This was so successful, that the Chromatic Order continues to take an active role in the determing the genetic direction of the species even thousands of years later.
In more modern days, the Chromatic Order's purpose is to unlock dormant ancestries and find genetic combinations that provide unique chromas, abilities and manage clan lineages to prevent inbreeding deformity.
In the context of the Kajuzurie, a chroma is not just the color, hue and saturation of the scales but also abilities that are genetically tied to those colors, such as the element of their breath and elemental resistances.
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