Difference between revisions of "Vayu"

Revision as of 23:16, 19 March 2010

Whimsical and moody, they float high above the human cities, searching out the perfection of the Arts.

Appearance

The Vayu look like nose-less, flat faced humans, their heads, arms and legs wreathed in feathers. They dress in simple tunics, togas, and gorgeously made gold, silver and bronze ornaments. They are a showy race, but prefer simple stylings to contrast what they believe is their ultimate beauty.

Personality

The Vayu are a vain, flighty, and artistically inclined race. They hold the Arts above all else, and the ugly they condemn with impunity. They consider themselves the most beautiful race, but become awestruck by truly stunning members of other races. Many of their endeavors and crafts are impractical, but very nice to look at. And the Vayu could look at them all day.

Habitat

The majority of the Vayu live on floating, migrating kingdoms made of a solid, white material which is indistinguishable from cloud to the untrained eye. The material is called Cloudstuff and is solid and extremely lightweight. Items made of Cloudstuff are highly valued and rare. The secret of their making is kept by the Vayu, but the items are sometimes found in the marketplaces of surface-dwellers. Relatively safe from harm in their lofty castles, the Vayu flit around the world, content to perform, create, and inspire.

The Vayu cloud cities float from one nation to another in the sky, but the Vayu who have chosen to "walk wingless" commonly settle in Haven, Book, Machera, Stone Falls, or Spire.

Cydonya is an especially dangerous nation for Vayu with colorful plumage. The city's harsh laws and strict feel make the Vayu feel repressed. Few Vayu are found there, or in Kadwal: it is not natural for a Vayu to stand in the shadow of great heights, rather than on top of them.

Society

A Vayu that does not impress others with its Art is not a Vayu at all, but a failure. Whether it be painting, architecture and engineering, acting, dancing, singing, music, literature, or discussion of the arts and criticism, a Vayu must occupy a space in the Art world. It is possible, however, for a Vayu possessed of other talents to gain acclaim if he or she can turn what they do into an art. For instance, the soldier who practices the art of war and combat.

The Vayu rarely clash with other cultures, but don't particularly mesh well with Koh-ri, Nyx or Sobaki. The Koh-ri are too savage, the Nyx are too ugly, and the Sobaki are too strange.

Vayu live for approximately two hundred years. A common Vayu saying is "A ripe age is a rotten shame." They are sensitive to the odd twist that most artists are not appreciated until after their death when the collection of their works becomes finite. Also, as vain beings who praise appearances, they are disdainful of those who do not age with grace. Death among the Vayu is approached with melodrama, especially if the departed was an important figure. Cremation and scattering of ashes is a common practice among these beings.

Vayu believe in monogamous marriage, but not for life. It is accepted that an individual can only inspire and bring happiness to another for so long and couples who do spend their lives in one marriage are regarded with awe and respect, but also with confusion. To the Vayu, it is only natural to appreciate beauty wherever it is found. Vayu consider children extremely enchanting and child-rearing is viewed as a very long artistic endeavor. Therefore, a child's actions and reputation have a strong reflection on his or her parents.

Vayu cuisine is comprised of small portions. Their dishes often consist of poultry and eggs, as these are some of the most prevalent foodstuffs to be found high above the ground. The Vayu are eccentric, and often very passionate and indulgent about food, but they are far from gluttonous.

Adventures

To glimpse and capture the beauty of the sunset over a far off seas in an oil painting, to immortalize a party of fellow adventurers in the perfect ballad, or to give the perfect eulogy at the funeral of a bitter enemy slain using the art of blade-dancing are all excellent pursuits for the Vayu. Vayu are perfect candidates for adventuring since they perpetually seeking beauty, stimulation, and inspiration.

Max Caps

• Personality 12
• Agility 12
• Courage 8
• Muscle 8

Powers

• Light Bones: Vayu take half-damage from falling.

• Sharp Eyes: The Vayu have extremely keen vision. They gain a +2 racial bonus to Spot checks.

• Lyrical: Vayu possess a latent ability to drastically change the tone of their voice and mimic other noises. They may spend a Mana Point to receive a racial bonus of +2 to any Negotiate, Seduce, or Performance check. A Vayu may spend as many Mana Points as he or she likes in this way. The effects are cumulative.

• Screech: Vayu can emit an ear-splitting screech which at short ranges can be brutal. By spending two Mana Points, the Vayu's player makes a Presence + Performance check. Anyone within five feet must make a Mutation save or be rendered Deaf, Dazed, and take the difference in the rolls as damage. Anyone outside of a five foot radius is simply annoyed.