Uragi (Race)

History
Ancient History:  Very little is known about early Uragi (pronounced [/juːra:gi:/]) history, with all current information deciphered only from lost Uragi texts found around the edges of their territories. They are said to be created in the image of power and beauty, carved from the stones touched by rainbows after dark rainstorms, and a gift from the deities so that they may “beautify this ugly world."

The harsh, massive landscape of their planet dictated much of their shape, size and coloration, having developed from much smaller creatures into the beasts roaming the world today. The vast difference between the world’s environments eventually led to the evolution of the fifteen subspecies of Uragi which exist today.

These subspecies include the Sehkt of the rainforests, Hutaaho of the temperate forests, Phenx of the deserts, Naahli of the savanna, Toruna of the tundra, Quudan of the frosted forestry, Ocatuon of the seas, Fiioxan of the darkest parts of the oceans, Qoratuu of the tropical reefs, Cehnuu of the swamps, Udakii of the earth, Viidorn of the mountains, and the mythic Saruuvi* of the skies. These races are almost always intolerant of each other, and as such, mixed offspring are not only rare, but often killed at birth. The unlucky few who survive are shunned by society, homeless, friendless and helpless.

There are two subraces of Uragi that are NOT native to Phi'uja Maana, but are present on the other two planets, Phi'uja Kor and Phi'uja Cephi, and they are the Purlai of the high altitude plateau lands, and the Faruuhk of freshwater lakes and rivers.

*Not an accessible subrace.

Spoken Languages: Uragi, Uragi Primal, Common Tongue.

Racial Preferences: Though tolerant of other avian races, the Uragi prefer to remain with their own kind.

Folklore/Legends:
 * Sceptre of Rii'kaan (Sehkt, Phenx) – A great artifact once belonging to the Uragi people on Phi'uja Maana, now thought to be lost deep beneath the soil of their lands. It is said that this artifact is what brought the Uragi the ability to travel through other dimensions. More worryingly, it is thought that the power was used to steal not only treasures from other worlds, but their inhabitants as well.
 * Gift of the Peacock - The bright colours in the tails of desert Uragi have often been compared to those of the phoenix, a being associated with both royalty and immortality, traits they pride themselves upon. The feathers of the Uragi inhabiting the neighbouring rainforest territories lack these red and gold shades, and so are seen as inferior, an insult they do not take lightly.

Biology
For more detailed information, see Uragi Biology.

General Appearance
The Uragi are a sexually dimorphic race, appearing as an therianthropic (taur) avian-ursine hybrid, between 14 and 61 feet tall, depending on race. Both genders have an upper torso connected to a taurian body, with avian forelegs and thick ursine hindlegs, and are usually muscular. Both lack nipples on their chests, which, like their beaks, are often decorated with studs, rings, or other piercings. Body types and colours vary greatly with region, so for specific race details, please see their own respective pages. Some choose to dye their fur, and rarely, an Uragi may be born with either melanism or albinism.

Male Uragi
Male Uragi possess large wings (morphic, they can be grown and shed at will) on their backs which they can typically use to fly, though they cannot fly for a long period of time due to weight. They also have the iconic long tailfeathers of a peacock, which they can use to bewilder and bewitch their onlookers.

Female Uragi
Female Uragi lack wings, but instead possess four arms on their upper torsos, and usually have lighter fur and feathers in comparison to the males. Their tails also resemble that of a bear. Their front legs are completely furred down to the half-point on their calves.

Racial Abilities/Skills/Proficiencies:
Some Uragi (about .5% of the population) have a powerful scream that can shatter the ground from force alone. And a very select few (about 20% of males) can use hypnotic magics in their tails to entice and seduce onlookers. Shatter is considered a rare ability, although hypnosis can be used by 1/5 of the male population.
 * Biological Note: Some Uragi are born with a secondary pupil, which allows them to detect magic or changes in energy/auras around them. That pupil can be closed separately from the original, and is often hidden in the rainforest variations. The secondary pupil is required to be able to perform and learn magic, it's seen as a "free gateway" of knowledge and power. See Arcana for more!

Technological Advancement/Intellectual Advancement
While they are not a refined society, there are rules of etiquette, and their technological level would be akin to the Medieval ages, where weaponry is forged, and buildings are constructed more soundly than other tribal cultures.

Note: Most Uragi do not travel outside of the borders of their lands often, though the Toruna and Phenx have been known to share secrets of technology with the Citrian Elf (Race), whose lands border their own, as far as they can understand it.

Customs/Laws/Foreign Policies
Laws: Dishonorable Behaviors: 
 * Foreigners are NOT allowed passage into Uragi lands, as they are sacred. Many intruders to the rainforest lands are often captured and sacrificed to either a deity or the Prince of the Uragi'Sehkt, to make him a more powerful future king. The other variations are not as violent or hostile towards intruders, and usually take them back to their own lands.
 * Ritualistic sacrifices are a practice, and the Uragi NEVER sacrifice their own kind, that is a sin against Maana Luul (Goddess), the Sehkt's main creation goddess.
 * There shall be no violation of the life, body or dignity of any person as such, regardless of age or gender, within Uragi lands (do not kill or harm your own kind).
 * There shall be no violation of the property of a person.
 * All persons are entitled to protection of their life, body and dignity.
 * There shall be no violation of natural resources, including, but not limited to: protected wildlife, vegetation, and geological structures.  Hunting, gathering, and fishing are restricted to territorial and border limits. Anything else is seen as a cut into the balance of nature.
 * Double-tonguedness – Speaking ill or lies behind another person's back.


 * Dishonesty
 * Ridicule of Another
 * Neglecting the safety and health of the less fortunate, or children.

Taboos/Prohibitions (Rainforest Variation – Uragi'Sehkt):  Taboos/Prohibitions (Desert and Tundra Variations – Uragi'Phenx/Uragi'Toruna):  Taboos/Prohibitions (All Other Variations):
 * Unattractiveness
 * Not adhering to standards of beauty.
 * Being unpierced or tattooed is not necessarily a taboo, but it is unique to see a pure in body Sehkt.
 * Transgender (as in male-to-female, female-to-male, or anything in between) is completely unheard of amongst the rainforest variation.
 * Many Sehkt feel like leaving their vast breadth of land to bring home strangers is an unspoken Taboo. The only known Uragi'sehkt that leave the lands to either participate in diplomatic or trade related interactions are royalty and peaceful nations.
 * Sexuality and Gender are fluid concepts to these Uragi. The only times that these things are prohibited or limited harshly is when it crosses into the "harm others" category.
 * Biological sexual anomalies (like cuntbois, shemales, hermaphrodites, etc.), while they DO occur (about 1/150,000 births), they are still seen as an affront to the general standard of beauty, and are often ostracized.
 * Mixed breeds are seen as taboo, and are often avoided or exiled if someone does manage to procreate outside their subrace. There are known half-breeds of Sehkt/Toruna, Toruna/Phenx, and Phenx/Sehkt, and Cehnuu/Udakii, however their lives are unknown, as they were exiled.
 * They do not kill their own kind, and are hospitable to those in need.
 * Half-breed children are not typically allowed, but they will not necessarily be sacrificed or killed upon birth, they are usually just ignored, and at the worst, ostracized.
 * Do not kill their own kind.
 * Destruction of land to resource farm in other lands. Trade routes are set up to provide without destroying land.

Racial Hybrids
Although some of the subraces CAN procure hybrid children, they are sterile and often ostracized. For this reason, player-made hybrids are not allowed (without my consent).