Post by Shyv'ahna Tes'laya on Aug 5, 2019 18:36:08 GMT -8
Names:
Group: Av’rae
Singular: Av’, Av’raed
Origin: The nation of Av’ria
Physiology
Racial traits
Advanced evolution
The Av’ae have an almost unnatural ability to evolve and change depending on their environment much faster than most. Evolution takes only a few hundred years to change parts of their physiology to adapt, instead of thousands that it would take most other races.
Affinity for Magic.
Most Av’rae are capable of magic, and some are able to become power wielders given training. Some believe this is why they once had an immense empire, and more importantly how they are able to adapt quickly. The result of which is their advanced evolution trait.\
Two handed affinity.
Culturally, the Av’rae were wielders of two handed, pole weapons, such as pikes, spears, and halberds, and they wield them with exceptional dexterity. Though not locked off to two handed weapons, most warriors start off training with them before moving on to other disciplines.
Appearance
The general appearance for the Av’rae changes from clan to clan and region to region, but their silhouette remains the same. They are a tall people, with the average male standing at six foot four, and six foot for females. They have a similar torso to most humans, with a similar muscle structure.
The lower half of the body, from the thighs down, are what is most different for the Av’rae. From their knees, their legs are bowed further back than a human’s, end ends in a foot with only two toes, with one extra, shorter one on the outside of each foot.
They also possess a tail that varies in length by the individual. For some, they remove said tail, but others wear theirs with a sense of pride. Naturally, it would hang down to an Av’rae’s heel.
Like their lower half, they are quite different to a humanoid. They possess a generally similar face, except for their brow and temples, where horns sprout. The position of which changes from person to person, but horns sprouting from the temple is generally more common. Though the horns generally curl backwards, not unlike a ram, they can be guided to face forward if the guiding begins at a young age. Males generally have larger horns.
The use of these horns changes from Av' to Av', some using them for combat, some for art and craft, some Av' are imaginative in their usages, and some don't use them at all.
The brow on an Av’rae changes depending on their horns and size, some are able to grow ridges along their skull that sweep back, while others remain relatively unchanged. If a male grows a plate across their brow, it will generally remain whole and extend over their hair line slightly, while females generally grow theirs into three points, the direction of which varies.
The body shape of an Av’rae changes much like a humanoid’s, depending on diet and upbringing, however there are some constants. They are not unlike a humanoid, but they generally have wider hips and larger thighs due to their bowed back legs.
Av’rae skin varies from clan to clan, with each adapting to their surroundings, but the majority have a spectrum of purple, pink, or light blue skin tones, and each possessing a wider array of eye colours, including violet, yellow, and white.
Regional differences.
Each clan and region has differences. Though nomadic in nature, they tend to remain in the same region.
Mountain Clans
Beginning with the mountain clans, they have as a whole started to peak at shorter heights, with the more recent generations of males growing to only six foot and the females growing to five foot eight on average.
Their legs are generally more muscular, with thicker tails and more articulated toes, some believe a trait gained from needing more purchase. Their toenails grow different to most others, resulting in an almost claw-like structure.
Their skin has grown tougher as well, with portions along their outer arms, shoulders, necks, thighs, and tails growing a hard, almost scale-like structure. Though some still grow with purple, blue, or pink skin, they have begun to grow paler in shade, some closer to grey, and slightly brown.
Desert Clans
The desert clans came from the mountain clans initially, and they share some similarities, but due to the harsh desert conditions, their evolution has gone beyond their mountain cousins. Their scales are more reptilian and a little wider spread across their body. Their tails and legs have become more draconic, with their heels starting further up their leg, and their three toes more splayed out, spreading their surface area across the loose sands.
Their pupils have become more slitted over time as many early desert Av’rae transitioned to a nocturnal lifestyle to avoid the harsh heat. Their eyes have also evolved a second set of translucent eyelids that shield the eyes from particulate, mostly because of travelling in sand storms, though they are not totally immune.
Their skin colours are less likely to be their original purple, blue, or pink now, and instead their skins take a more sandy, warmer colour, some born tan, light brown, orange, or even red.
Snow clans
Those that hail from the snow are more often blue than any of their predecessor colours, and their hair tends to grow faster. Like their desert cousins, their feet are a little wider for snow-walking, and their tails larger, but a little fattier instead of the more rigid, draconic desert tails.
They also tend to be a little thicker around the edges due to their cold environment. This extra tends to shed quickly as the temperature grows.
Forest clans
The forest clans are not much different than they originally were, but their arms are generally stronger as they make their homes in the trees. Their skin and hair tends to be closer to greens or browns to reflect the trees around them. Their tails are a little thinner, and like their mountain cousins, their toes are a little more articulated.
Ocean clans
The sea faring clans, though rare, are generally leaner, their skin darker shaded, and expert navigators, feeling an affinity for the water. Curiously, they are generally similar to the plans clans, but their feet and hands have extendable webs between their digits, usually retracted and hidden between their fingers. There are tales of some even having small gills, allowing them to stay underwater for much longer times, but most believe these to be sailors’ stories.
Forward facing horns are much rarer with these Av’rae, instead their horns are more often facing back, and even grow a little blunter than most.
Plains clans.
The plains clans are the most numerous, and most generally unchanged from their cousins, as they are the most nomadic. These clans are usually spread far and thin, moving between cities and towns, often as traders, mercenaries, or just travellers. Some would call them the most diverse and free spirited, which is how they seem, but they generally still have a strong attachment to their culture and customs.
The plains clans are the base-line physiology for the Av’rae, or at least as they are now.
Although the Av'rae are built to adapt, sometimes this can be a detriment, especially if an Av' is displaced into another climate. A snow Av' may overheat in a desert far quicker than anyone else, or a mountain Av' with their smaller feet may have trouble tracking through snow or sand, for example.
Clothing
The clothing the Av’rae wear vary from regional clan to regional clan in overall style, with no two Av’rae wearing the same thing, but the cultural, general styles remain the same. Usually, an Av’rae will wear travelling gear, as is their nature, but once they stop for a period of time, they tend to don togas or robes depending on the climate, and mostly in private. One piece of clothing is found in almost every clan however, and that is a hood. Nobody knows why, perhaps its something left over from a fashionable period centuries ago, or perhaps its just so ingrained in their nomad-like ways of travelling, but it can be found on almost every Av’ outfit.
Though travellers, Av’rae fashion tends to be on the intricate side, both in appearance but also function, purely because it's fashionable for the Av’rae, while also useful.
History
The Av’rae were once a powerful, numerous race, all living under the one banner of the Av’ria nation. They were scholars, scientists, wizards, and warriors, having dominion over almost a colossal, almost continent of an island, well over a thousand years ago. They were omnipotent and seemingly all knowing for thousands of years, their cities were spread wide and far, and their culture one of the richest of its time, if perhaps ever.
However, their omnipotence came to an end during the great cataclysm. Mother nature had decided that the balance of power had been in Av’ria’s favour for far too long. Over the course of a month, she wrought havoc on the Av’rae. The mountains erupted into huge volcanoes, which brought with them earthquakes that split the ground, and floods that washed away whole cities without warning.
Some belief it was the doing of a cult of Av’rae, or perhaps over ambitious scholars or wizards, who tried to harness the power of nature itself, but instead brought the apocalypse for the Av’rae people. Most, however, just believed it to be bad luck, or a cycle repeating itself. A culling of life so more could start anew.
Their rivals and enemies took credit, of course, before they themselves were swallowed up by Mother Nature in turn.
Eventually the dust settled, and only a few hundred thousand of millions on millions survived. With their home destroyed, and changed beyond recognition, they inevitably decided that they had to leave and find a new home. The surviving Av’ria imperial family elected to split the population and begin an exodus, each group searching for home.
Over the course of two hundred years, the Av’rae became even more fractured, clans beginning to form and splinter, until finally the Av’rae were spread far and wide, but most importantly thinly. The only reason they survive today is because of a stalward love for their people’s culture and customs, one that overrides any squabbles, and one they hold dear, knowing that they would be extinct without it.
Thankfully, even as the years march on, their predecessors’ intelligence and reasoning continues to be upheld.
Now? Many clans have settled in their regions, but their yearning for something better continues, with the deep desire to continue moving. Though remaining in their regions, the Av’rae continue to live as nomads on the road.
Nothing but ruin remains of Av’ria, with most forgetting where their home even was on the map. Some say the far north, beyond any known map, and some say south. There are even say the nation of Tawakoshi sits on the ruins, and some Isra. Nobody knows for sure. The majority, however, believe the claim that it was swallowed by the great sea, enforced by artifacts and ruins found under the waves. Wether or not they have been carried by the tides remains a mystery.
Culture
The Av’rae culture remains strong in the veins of every nomad. In the olden times, the Av’rae held enlightenment in the highest regard, always striving for knowledge and wisdom. One of their gods, one of the most beloved, was even named The Librarian, god of knowledge for those who worship. Thus, they were once one of the smartest, more technologically superior races in the region, before the great cataclysm occurred. This love for knowledge still runs strong among their people.
Their thirst for knowledge eventually began to manifest itself as an inherent affinity for magic, and the exploration of magic. Though not the best wizards or magic wielders on the planet, they found that they were able to perform most spells with enough practice. This lead to the great Hoard of Av’Incha, the capital of Av’ria. Most tell a tale of the hoard being a massive pile of gold and jewels, plundered from other nations and dug up from the center of the world, but that’s not the case. The horde was in fact the commoner’s name for the Library of Magic. The world’s greatest collection of spell books, where the Av’rae learned all they could about magic.
Knowledge, magic, these scholarly pursuits would have been lost long before the cataclysm if it wasn’t for the thrill of the fight. There’s a warrior culture ingrained in the Av’rae, mostly among the Mountain and Desert nomads, which dictates that if you must fight, then fight with honour and fight to win. The fighting with honor part seems lost on some of the seafaring warriors, but for the land locked kind, it is still held to at least some respect. This has bred some legendary warriors among the Av’rae, and still makes them fierce opponents in battle, should they decide to fight.
These three traits, knowledge, magic, and war, is what the Av’rae hold in high regard, believing that this enlightenment will help them rebuild their empire one day, one that could very well be true one day. For now though, it drives them forward and fuels the fire of exploration, not only for a new home, but for new, better things. Most Av’rae, though they feel that desire, remain on the same roads they usually travel.
Though nomads, the Av’rae still cling to their traditions, which continue to be passed down by generations, such as holidays, language, and philosophy, as well as their own history. Most still pray at make-shift alters to the same gods their ancestors did almost a millennia ago.
However, some of the old traditions have changed over the years to accommodate their lifestyle, and new traditions have been established and handed down by the elders three centuries ago at the Meeting of the Clans. The meeting of the Clans is held once every five years and attended by the Elders, the one Av’rae for each clan that is elected to speak for them, where they discuss the goings on of their people as a whole. This is the only form of government and leadership the far-flung Av’rae have, and so far it has proved to be a key to their survival.
One of the newest customs that the Av’rae have followed began three hundred years ago, originally in the form of a decree. The population of Av’rae was in decline at the time, according to the historians, and the Meeting of Elders passed down the First Born decree, that would soon be accepted as tradition. If an Av’rae is to have children, which is highly recommended and encouraged, their first born must be Av’rae, not a hybrid with another local race. It doesn’t matter who with, the blood lines don’t need to be ‘pure’, but it must be an Av’rae child.
As a by-product of this, the Av’rae begun to group-raise children within their camps. Mothers and fathers who did not want to raise kids, for personal or other reasons, were allowed to give the child to group mothers, Av’rae who far more capable, and most importantly, wanted to raise the children. There is no malice or stigma attached for the Av’rae, as they accept it as part of their people’s survival, like the First Born tradition.
One of the other traditions born out of survival is the Joining of the Clans. Every year, at the site of the Meeting of the Elders, five men and five women from each clan, chosen for their talents, abilities, and general genetic traits, are sent to Joining of the Clans, a prestigious honor among the Av’rae. Here, they are coupled up with the intention of reproducing with member from a different clan, almost always from another region. This allows them to pass on traits with the hopes of spreading their adaptation among all Av’rae over centuries. This, essentially orgy, is held in high regard by most Av’rae, as the chances of being chosen are rather small, even when considering the population size, and when the chosen return they are celebrated for three days and three nights. This is one of the few times a year most Av’rae group up with their whole clan, like a family gathering of hundreds of Av’rae nomads.
This has caused… tension with locals before. Thankfully, these meeting grounds are often kept secret and secluded.
When the children of the Joining of Clans are born, it is said to be a day of rest for Av’rae. They do not work, fight, or travel on these days, instead celebrating wherever they may be. How do they get the message? An Av’rae would never tell.
As there is such an emphasis put on their numbers, and how they need to avoid decline, no Av' is left behind. The weak can grow stronger, and the sick can get better. The old have wisdom to give and the young have whole lives ahead of them. Every Av' matters.
Outside of their culture, they also find themselves being excellent craftsmen. Striving to be good at a craft is handed down by generation purely because of their nomadic nature. They won’t always be near somewhere that can fix a wagon wheel, or to buy clothes, and oftentimes having a craft means survival on the road, saving money, and also means that an Av’ can find work in the towns they come across. They aren’t necessarily jacks of all trades, but they do almost all each excel in one or two crafts, while having enough knowledge in others to scrape by in case of emergencies.
Those that can’t do a craft? They learn. They have to, if they want a better chance of survival.
Group: Av’rae
Singular: Av’, Av’raed
Origin: The nation of Av’ria
Physiology
Racial traits
Advanced evolution
The Av’ae have an almost unnatural ability to evolve and change depending on their environment much faster than most. Evolution takes only a few hundred years to change parts of their physiology to adapt, instead of thousands that it would take most other races.
Affinity for Magic.
Most Av’rae are capable of magic, and some are able to become power wielders given training. Some believe this is why they once had an immense empire, and more importantly how they are able to adapt quickly. The result of which is their advanced evolution trait.\
Two handed affinity.
Culturally, the Av’rae were wielders of two handed, pole weapons, such as pikes, spears, and halberds, and they wield them with exceptional dexterity. Though not locked off to two handed weapons, most warriors start off training with them before moving on to other disciplines.
Appearance
The general appearance for the Av’rae changes from clan to clan and region to region, but their silhouette remains the same. They are a tall people, with the average male standing at six foot four, and six foot for females. They have a similar torso to most humans, with a similar muscle structure.
The lower half of the body, from the thighs down, are what is most different for the Av’rae. From their knees, their legs are bowed further back than a human’s, end ends in a foot with only two toes, with one extra, shorter one on the outside of each foot.
They also possess a tail that varies in length by the individual. For some, they remove said tail, but others wear theirs with a sense of pride. Naturally, it would hang down to an Av’rae’s heel.
Like their lower half, they are quite different to a humanoid. They possess a generally similar face, except for their brow and temples, where horns sprout. The position of which changes from person to person, but horns sprouting from the temple is generally more common. Though the horns generally curl backwards, not unlike a ram, they can be guided to face forward if the guiding begins at a young age. Males generally have larger horns.
The use of these horns changes from Av' to Av', some using them for combat, some for art and craft, some Av' are imaginative in their usages, and some don't use them at all.
The brow on an Av’rae changes depending on their horns and size, some are able to grow ridges along their skull that sweep back, while others remain relatively unchanged. If a male grows a plate across their brow, it will generally remain whole and extend over their hair line slightly, while females generally grow theirs into three points, the direction of which varies.
The body shape of an Av’rae changes much like a humanoid’s, depending on diet and upbringing, however there are some constants. They are not unlike a humanoid, but they generally have wider hips and larger thighs due to their bowed back legs.
Av’rae skin varies from clan to clan, with each adapting to their surroundings, but the majority have a spectrum of purple, pink, or light blue skin tones, and each possessing a wider array of eye colours, including violet, yellow, and white.
Regional differences.
Each clan and region has differences. Though nomadic in nature, they tend to remain in the same region.
Mountain Clans
Beginning with the mountain clans, they have as a whole started to peak at shorter heights, with the more recent generations of males growing to only six foot and the females growing to five foot eight on average.
Their legs are generally more muscular, with thicker tails and more articulated toes, some believe a trait gained from needing more purchase. Their toenails grow different to most others, resulting in an almost claw-like structure.
Their skin has grown tougher as well, with portions along their outer arms, shoulders, necks, thighs, and tails growing a hard, almost scale-like structure. Though some still grow with purple, blue, or pink skin, they have begun to grow paler in shade, some closer to grey, and slightly brown.
Desert Clans
The desert clans came from the mountain clans initially, and they share some similarities, but due to the harsh desert conditions, their evolution has gone beyond their mountain cousins. Their scales are more reptilian and a little wider spread across their body. Their tails and legs have become more draconic, with their heels starting further up their leg, and their three toes more splayed out, spreading their surface area across the loose sands.
Their pupils have become more slitted over time as many early desert Av’rae transitioned to a nocturnal lifestyle to avoid the harsh heat. Their eyes have also evolved a second set of translucent eyelids that shield the eyes from particulate, mostly because of travelling in sand storms, though they are not totally immune.
Their skin colours are less likely to be their original purple, blue, or pink now, and instead their skins take a more sandy, warmer colour, some born tan, light brown, orange, or even red.
Snow clans
Those that hail from the snow are more often blue than any of their predecessor colours, and their hair tends to grow faster. Like their desert cousins, their feet are a little wider for snow-walking, and their tails larger, but a little fattier instead of the more rigid, draconic desert tails.
They also tend to be a little thicker around the edges due to their cold environment. This extra tends to shed quickly as the temperature grows.
Forest clans
The forest clans are not much different than they originally were, but their arms are generally stronger as they make their homes in the trees. Their skin and hair tends to be closer to greens or browns to reflect the trees around them. Their tails are a little thinner, and like their mountain cousins, their toes are a little more articulated.
Ocean clans
The sea faring clans, though rare, are generally leaner, their skin darker shaded, and expert navigators, feeling an affinity for the water. Curiously, they are generally similar to the plans clans, but their feet and hands have extendable webs between their digits, usually retracted and hidden between their fingers. There are tales of some even having small gills, allowing them to stay underwater for much longer times, but most believe these to be sailors’ stories.
Forward facing horns are much rarer with these Av’rae, instead their horns are more often facing back, and even grow a little blunter than most.
Plains clans.
The plains clans are the most numerous, and most generally unchanged from their cousins, as they are the most nomadic. These clans are usually spread far and thin, moving between cities and towns, often as traders, mercenaries, or just travellers. Some would call them the most diverse and free spirited, which is how they seem, but they generally still have a strong attachment to their culture and customs.
The plains clans are the base-line physiology for the Av’rae, or at least as they are now.
Although the Av'rae are built to adapt, sometimes this can be a detriment, especially if an Av' is displaced into another climate. A snow Av' may overheat in a desert far quicker than anyone else, or a mountain Av' with their smaller feet may have trouble tracking through snow or sand, for example.
Clothing
The clothing the Av’rae wear vary from regional clan to regional clan in overall style, with no two Av’rae wearing the same thing, but the cultural, general styles remain the same. Usually, an Av’rae will wear travelling gear, as is their nature, but once they stop for a period of time, they tend to don togas or robes depending on the climate, and mostly in private. One piece of clothing is found in almost every clan however, and that is a hood. Nobody knows why, perhaps its something left over from a fashionable period centuries ago, or perhaps its just so ingrained in their nomad-like ways of travelling, but it can be found on almost every Av’ outfit.
Though travellers, Av’rae fashion tends to be on the intricate side, both in appearance but also function, purely because it's fashionable for the Av’rae, while also useful.
History
The Av’rae were once a powerful, numerous race, all living under the one banner of the Av’ria nation. They were scholars, scientists, wizards, and warriors, having dominion over almost a colossal, almost continent of an island, well over a thousand years ago. They were omnipotent and seemingly all knowing for thousands of years, their cities were spread wide and far, and their culture one of the richest of its time, if perhaps ever.
However, their omnipotence came to an end during the great cataclysm. Mother nature had decided that the balance of power had been in Av’ria’s favour for far too long. Over the course of a month, she wrought havoc on the Av’rae. The mountains erupted into huge volcanoes, which brought with them earthquakes that split the ground, and floods that washed away whole cities without warning.
Some belief it was the doing of a cult of Av’rae, or perhaps over ambitious scholars or wizards, who tried to harness the power of nature itself, but instead brought the apocalypse for the Av’rae people. Most, however, just believed it to be bad luck, or a cycle repeating itself. A culling of life so more could start anew.
Their rivals and enemies took credit, of course, before they themselves were swallowed up by Mother Nature in turn.
Eventually the dust settled, and only a few hundred thousand of millions on millions survived. With their home destroyed, and changed beyond recognition, they inevitably decided that they had to leave and find a new home. The surviving Av’ria imperial family elected to split the population and begin an exodus, each group searching for home.
Over the course of two hundred years, the Av’rae became even more fractured, clans beginning to form and splinter, until finally the Av’rae were spread far and wide, but most importantly thinly. The only reason they survive today is because of a stalward love for their people’s culture and customs, one that overrides any squabbles, and one they hold dear, knowing that they would be extinct without it.
Thankfully, even as the years march on, their predecessors’ intelligence and reasoning continues to be upheld.
Now? Many clans have settled in their regions, but their yearning for something better continues, with the deep desire to continue moving. Though remaining in their regions, the Av’rae continue to live as nomads on the road.
Nothing but ruin remains of Av’ria, with most forgetting where their home even was on the map. Some say the far north, beyond any known map, and some say south. There are even say the nation of Tawakoshi sits on the ruins, and some Isra. Nobody knows for sure. The majority, however, believe the claim that it was swallowed by the great sea, enforced by artifacts and ruins found under the waves. Wether or not they have been carried by the tides remains a mystery.
Culture
The Av’rae culture remains strong in the veins of every nomad. In the olden times, the Av’rae held enlightenment in the highest regard, always striving for knowledge and wisdom. One of their gods, one of the most beloved, was even named The Librarian, god of knowledge for those who worship. Thus, they were once one of the smartest, more technologically superior races in the region, before the great cataclysm occurred. This love for knowledge still runs strong among their people.
Their thirst for knowledge eventually began to manifest itself as an inherent affinity for magic, and the exploration of magic. Though not the best wizards or magic wielders on the planet, they found that they were able to perform most spells with enough practice. This lead to the great Hoard of Av’Incha, the capital of Av’ria. Most tell a tale of the hoard being a massive pile of gold and jewels, plundered from other nations and dug up from the center of the world, but that’s not the case. The horde was in fact the commoner’s name for the Library of Magic. The world’s greatest collection of spell books, where the Av’rae learned all they could about magic.
Knowledge, magic, these scholarly pursuits would have been lost long before the cataclysm if it wasn’t for the thrill of the fight. There’s a warrior culture ingrained in the Av’rae, mostly among the Mountain and Desert nomads, which dictates that if you must fight, then fight with honour and fight to win. The fighting with honor part seems lost on some of the seafaring warriors, but for the land locked kind, it is still held to at least some respect. This has bred some legendary warriors among the Av’rae, and still makes them fierce opponents in battle, should they decide to fight.
These three traits, knowledge, magic, and war, is what the Av’rae hold in high regard, believing that this enlightenment will help them rebuild their empire one day, one that could very well be true one day. For now though, it drives them forward and fuels the fire of exploration, not only for a new home, but for new, better things. Most Av’rae, though they feel that desire, remain on the same roads they usually travel.
Though nomads, the Av’rae still cling to their traditions, which continue to be passed down by generations, such as holidays, language, and philosophy, as well as their own history. Most still pray at make-shift alters to the same gods their ancestors did almost a millennia ago.
However, some of the old traditions have changed over the years to accommodate their lifestyle, and new traditions have been established and handed down by the elders three centuries ago at the Meeting of the Clans. The meeting of the Clans is held once every five years and attended by the Elders, the one Av’rae for each clan that is elected to speak for them, where they discuss the goings on of their people as a whole. This is the only form of government and leadership the far-flung Av’rae have, and so far it has proved to be a key to their survival.
One of the newest customs that the Av’rae have followed began three hundred years ago, originally in the form of a decree. The population of Av’rae was in decline at the time, according to the historians, and the Meeting of Elders passed down the First Born decree, that would soon be accepted as tradition. If an Av’rae is to have children, which is highly recommended and encouraged, their first born must be Av’rae, not a hybrid with another local race. It doesn’t matter who with, the blood lines don’t need to be ‘pure’, but it must be an Av’rae child.
As a by-product of this, the Av’rae begun to group-raise children within their camps. Mothers and fathers who did not want to raise kids, for personal or other reasons, were allowed to give the child to group mothers, Av’rae who far more capable, and most importantly, wanted to raise the children. There is no malice or stigma attached for the Av’rae, as they accept it as part of their people’s survival, like the First Born tradition.
One of the other traditions born out of survival is the Joining of the Clans. Every year, at the site of the Meeting of the Elders, five men and five women from each clan, chosen for their talents, abilities, and general genetic traits, are sent to Joining of the Clans, a prestigious honor among the Av’rae. Here, they are coupled up with the intention of reproducing with member from a different clan, almost always from another region. This allows them to pass on traits with the hopes of spreading their adaptation among all Av’rae over centuries. This, essentially orgy, is held in high regard by most Av’rae, as the chances of being chosen are rather small, even when considering the population size, and when the chosen return they are celebrated for three days and three nights. This is one of the few times a year most Av’rae group up with their whole clan, like a family gathering of hundreds of Av’rae nomads.
This has caused… tension with locals before. Thankfully, these meeting grounds are often kept secret and secluded.
When the children of the Joining of Clans are born, it is said to be a day of rest for Av’rae. They do not work, fight, or travel on these days, instead celebrating wherever they may be. How do they get the message? An Av’rae would never tell.
As there is such an emphasis put on their numbers, and how they need to avoid decline, no Av' is left behind. The weak can grow stronger, and the sick can get better. The old have wisdom to give and the young have whole lives ahead of them. Every Av' matters.
Outside of their culture, they also find themselves being excellent craftsmen. Striving to be good at a craft is handed down by generation purely because of their nomadic nature. They won’t always be near somewhere that can fix a wagon wheel, or to buy clothes, and oftentimes having a craft means survival on the road, saving money, and also means that an Av’ can find work in the towns they come across. They aren’t necessarily jacks of all trades, but they do almost all each excel in one or two crafts, while having enough knowledge in others to scrape by in case of emergencies.
Those that can’t do a craft? They learn. They have to, if they want a better chance of survival.