Icara

The Icara are a harpy-like species of demihumans that live in Aetheris. They are the decedents of the angels that once served Zenera. Throughout the centuries, the wings of the Itari morphed, moving over from their backs to their arms. Due to this transformation, the once-angels are no longer capable of flight, instead, having to rely on giant sky-rays to move across cloud sea. The Icara reside in the remaining part of Mausolea. They restored the destroyed section of the city after two centuries of deserting the site and turned it into their new home. The demihumans have found a way to tame the sky-rays that live around the area and turned them into precious animal companions.
The Icara highly value the legend of their ancestors. For this reason, they uphold the culture from back when they were angels. To ensure that these stories do not fade, the Icara select one of their people to become a chronicler. These chroniclers are keepers of records and traditions and make it their life's goal to remember all tails of the Icara and their forefathers. To-be chroniclers are given a pendant by their teacher once they enter into an apprenticeship. These pendants are meant to symbolize their ties to the history of their species and are therefore especially precious to the chroniclers. Upon finalizing their studies, an apprentice storyteller will be given a set of golden rings that they will wear around their arms as a symbol of their status.
Icara have a very long lifespan, being able to stay alive for about four hundred years. In return, they reproduce at a slow rate and individuals take much longer to mature. In general, the Icara are a kind and cheerful people who rarely resort to violence and, despite their isolation, openly welcome others into their city. They do not need to consume any food or water, instead, gaining energy from the sun; a blessing given to their lineage by Zenera. Just like their old lord, the Icara people possess a strong affinity to light magic, as well as holy magic. A number of the Icara are also well versed in creation magic, using light as a base.

Appearance

The most notable characteristic of Icara is the remnant wings attached to their arms. These "wings" span from halfway their lower arm to their back shoulders and are a faded lime color. The same type of feathers that comprise the Icara's wings can be found on their backhead, mixing in with their silver-gold hair. They have eyes colored faded gold and pale skin, despite spending most of their time bathing in the sun. Most Icara are remarkably beautiful, making it seem as if a fit physique and fair features are a natural quality of the species. They dress in richly ornamented togas and tend to wander around bare-footed. Those that serve a guard or warrior position dawn golden armor with white cloth beneath.