Brightling
Brightlings are Imbued who live on The Slumbering Isles. They have gained unique properties that make them stand out from other varieties of imbued. Living on The Slumbering Isles has changed them to become bioluminescent, glowing brilliant blues, yellows, and oranges. It is also quite common for them to have four arms. Their elemental connections are weaker, but they still maintain a connection to their origin. Magic is much easier for them to cast and learn.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
Brightling names carry no specific gender base. Brightlings are, as elemental creatures, genderless. Instead, their "given," "middle," and "family" names tell a story. Their given name embodies something, usually having meaning behind it. Maybe it is given to impart strength or constitution like Mountain or Shore, or something beguiling or Whimsical like Song or Cloud.
Their "middle" name imparts a direction or parental dreams for their child. Things like Soars Far or Carries All.
Their "family" name comes from a fond memory surrounding the conception of the child, while also related to the rest of their name. Something like On Sunsoaked Hills or Around Mighty Oaks.
Other names
Suffixes are based on the part of society in which they live, referred to as collectives. These change as a brightling finds their place in society. This can happen multiple times in their lifetime, and some choose not to change it for personal reasons. The collectives are:
Agrarian collective
Dominion collective
Cities collective
Magic collective
Ocean collective
Traveler collective
The number preceeding them was originally a generational notation. That was changed very early on to prevent confusion and keep names shorter after many generations. Now the numbers represent a hierarchy from 1st to 10th, with 1st being the highest. This changes most for brightlings as their awards and punishments can change that. Breaking the law or doing unscrupulous things can get your collective lowered, while performing great feats, or even being recognized for continual hard work can increase your collective.
The 1st of any collective earn that position for great feats, expertise, or a long history of reliability. It is not uncommon for an elderly person to be awarded 1st collective late in life, or even posthumously, as a sign of gratitude and respect.
At birth, every brightling is placed in the 7th collective.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
For ease of communication, common has become theor primary language. Primordial is still widely used, especially amongst Brightlings.
Culture and cultural heritage
Brightlings are not concerned with dynasties and generational legacies. This is why, and reinforced by, their naming conventions are so different from other cultures. Parents and children will all likely have quite different names.
Before the Megalofidi, they were regular air genasi. The Megalofidi was said to glow brilliantly in the waves. At night, it made the ocean glow blue, yellow, and orange - a terrifying moving light beneath the waves that would break through and wreak havoc. When settling on The Slumbering Isles, they noticed the scales didn't have the same brilliant glow. Contact with them, however, seemed to enhance their magical traits and give them a slight glow. Over generations, they no longer resembled the genasi where they came from.
Shared customary codes and values
Communal living is a cornerstone of Brightling life. While they do have private lives and possessions, when it comes to sustenance, health, or shelter, the community provides in one way or another. Great wealth and hoarded objects are uncommon for Brightlings.
Much of this stems from their roots as genasi who left their home world and were eventually cut off from it. They enjoy commodity and abundance when available, but it isn't sought out as an ideal life.
Common Dress code
Having lived on Pallo for many millenia, their dress has mingled with the rest of Pallo. Some of their more traditional (read - "exotic") apparel uses material made with bioluminescent or photoluminescent material.
The only collective that commonly wears bioluminescent clothes is the ocean collective. The seawater helps keep some of the bioluminescent plant life used for their clothes alive and creating the reaction. This has saved countless brightlings from drowning. Were the water not so cold, one could strip down to let their own light be a beacon.
Art & Architecture
With bioluminescence being so prevalent amongst the people and landscape, and the Isles having so much sunlight, much of their art and architecture plays with the spectrum of light, reflection, and refraction. Some impressive pieces use glass and other materials placed in discrete places that form a singular piece of art at a certain time of day.
Common Myths and Legends
Megalofidi - The Great Serpent - the legendary monster upon which the Brightlings have built their homes.
Songbird - the hero who placed the Megalofidi in a perpetual slumber.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The uniqueness of their change living on the slumbering Isles never lost its luster for them. Brightlings who glow brightest or warmest are seen as the most attractive. For some, their glow is not as uniform, which can add to their attractiveness. Agrarian collectives have the most notable trend in pattern. Working with their hands with the scales on the ground give them brighter fingers, hands, knees, and brows.
Parent ethnicities
Related Locations
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