“We are not what we begin as—only what we choose to become.”

— Reikainese proverb

🧠 Overview

🎨 Physical Traits

What do they generally look like? Common features, exceptions, quirks?

• Height: 5'0" – 6'0" (152 – 183 cm)
• Build: Lean, agile; built for speed rather than power
• Complexion: Ranging from pale ivory to rich brown
• Eyes: Bright and striking; usually in shades of gold, green, blue and silver. Different shape pupils can occur, especially in kin-form
• Hair: Varied. Common colors include black, brown, silver-white, auburn and earthy tones
• Distinct Features: Subtle bestial traits
• Animal ears, tails, horns/antlers
• Fangs, claws, patterned skin

See below for beliefs and philosophies of Aurenai 🪶

🌍 Region of Origin

This race comes from the high-elevation region of Naiyu, found in the far southeastern highlands of Sahana. Naiyu has many towering stone plateaus, cliffside rivers and ancient cloud forests, high above the lowlands below. The area is crisscrossed with skybridges that link entire villages together, each one perched on the flattened tops of the plateaus or carved into the face of the cliffs themselves.

Before the Malvigo D’arim, Naiyu was a quiet and isolated land. Because of the region’s vertical nature and dangerous terrain, the Reikainese communities were small and self-reliant, with little outside influence. The Aurenai lived within the safety of the three highland villages and their ancestral clans.

• Tensurai — A serene village overlooking the sea of clouds, Tensurai was best know for its water sanctuaries and sacred reflecting pools called Kaelu. The Kaelu Order of Ram-kin resided here, devoting themselves to meditation, healing and philosophy.
• Senvira — This village was built into the side of a massive cliff and surrounded by echoing wind tunnels. It was the center of spiritual arts and many of its inhabitants studied combat and offensive magic. The Auren Order of Panthera-kin called Senvira home, known for producing some of the deadliest warriors and assassins in the world’s history.
• Zhiro’s Cradle — This highland village is nestled between two massive plateaus, shrouded in mist. The Shura Order resided here, schooled in memory-keeping, history, sciences, politics and eventually diplomacy. The Shura Order of fox-kin is best known for its teachings in poise, grace, and wit.

These 3 villages were the only of their kind, however many different Aurenai kin-clans called them home, led and governed by the Orders.

🎭 Cultural Identity

Both the Aurenai and the Ruhkai have clans in common. Although they are structured and operate differently, all clans are kin-specific. For example, the Kaelu Order is a purely ram-kin clan. The 3 highland villages were home to many clans, led by each of the Orders, but each clan stayed true to their kin-sort. Mixed-kin are seen as disgraceful and forbidden even to this day, and those that were mixed-kin are usually shunned from their clans, along with their parents.

Aurenai Culture

The Aurenai were shaped by serenity of the highlands of Naiyu. The isolating, quiet nature of the elevated terrain creating a thoughtful, meditative people. Through this, they grew to value grace, self-discipline, mediation, action, strength from self-discovery and self mastery. Their culture is rooted in philosophy and they are contemplative, controlled, intentional people. Even in their battle and combat styles, the Aurenai are elegant, intentional and disciplined. They are reserved—not cold, but quiet—and they believe that identity is a path, not a destination.

Ruhkai Culture

The Ruhkai were shaped by the highlands of Naiyu in a far different way than the Aurenai. For everything, there is its opposite, and in Naiyu, the balancing force of the serene plateaus are its wild, misted forests. These wilds were unforgiving but bountiful. The Ruhkai share the Aurenai philosophy of Zhenai on a far more primal level. Their culture evolved in a way that leaned into the wild, feral nature of the world and the strongest among them were those that survived the most. Over many decades, the Ruhkai established dozens of smaller, nomadic, pack-like clans. Most chose to spend their lives exclusively in kin-form, living as the animals they could shift into. In fact, the Ruhkai believed they were beasts who could turn into men, and not the opposite—and after many years, these Ruhkai refused or even forgot that they could take human form.

📖 History

The Reikai originate from the highlands of Naiyu, a mist-covered region on the southeastern border of Sahana. The Reikai were among the Etharim to awaken during the First Moon. They were the race of Discipline; one of the 3 races modeled after Ethestes’ affinities.

The Aurenai developed their societies far above the rest of the world’s chaos, isolated among the plateaus, shaping them to be rooted in introspection and discipline. Instead of monarchies, they were guided by Orders, each devoted to a philosophy and way of life: the Kaelu, Auren and Shura. These Orders passed knowledge and power down by merit, wisdom and Zhenai, rather than bloodline. Young Reikai trained under mentors called Formguides, who helped them master themselves—both physically and spiritually.

Meanwhile, the Ruhkai lived within the mistwilds far below the sky-reaching plateaus. They built a culture on the laws of nature, valuing strength, resilience and instinct. The clan-packs were independent and nomadic, roaming, hunting and surviving as beasts, rather than men. These isolated packs created their own micro-societies, sometimes with their own belief systems and languages.

Although they co-existed, the Ruhkai viewed the Aurenai as parasitic, and the Aurenai viewed the Ruhkai as barbaric.

When the Malvigo D’arim broke out across Sahana, the Reikai were slow to act. The Aurenai leaders believed war was beneath the sacred flow of life. The Ruhkai felt as though they were separate from the conflicts of men. However, as the scale of the Hladari’s aggression became more clear, the Reikai set their differences aside and aligned themselves with the Etharim. They were namely known for contributing tactical advisors, lethal warriors and wartime diplomats. The Auren Order in particular became famed for producing elite assassins and combat artists, while the Shura Order provided invaluable diplomats and political liaisons between the Etharim factions. Some Ruhkai clans fought for their land and people as deadly beasts.

The war came at a great cost. The once serene Naiyu was deeply wounded. It’s skybridges were broken, its forests scorched and its sanctuaries and villages were hollowed by battle. Ruhkai clans were scattered and forced from their homeland and Fraythane fractures cast the mists in eerie glowing colors, cutting through the stone and crackling through the air. Like the other Etharim, the Reikai migrated with the survivors into the Wylds, helping to establish Nova Mir during the dawn of the Refectionem Era.

Today, Aurenai living in Farus usually serve as scribes, tacticians, scholars, martial instructors and emissaries. The Orders continue to operate within the Empire, albeit quietly, shaping generations through teaching, discipline and remembrance. Though they are far from home, the Reikai remain people of poise, mystery and inner strength.

The Ruhkai clans are granted Sanctioned Autonomy by the Benedict Crown. This means that although they are allowed to roam freely within the Wylds of Farus as independent nomadic tribes, they are under imperial jurisdiction. They govern themselves by tribal law under the condition that they uphold the Crown’s broader laws.

🧬 Racial Affinity / Unique Trait

Affinity of Form is the racial affinity for all Reikai, allowing them to shapeshift into their kin-form. However, this looks and functions differently, depending on whether they are Aurenai or Ruhkai.

The Aurenai approach shapeshifting as an art, crafted through discipline of the mind. They treat it as an extension of self-mastery and philosophy. Because of this, their transformations are deliberate and refined and can be used to enhance specific attributes rather than fully surrendering to instinct. An Aurenai may shift their eyes for keener sight, grow claws for striking at a foe, or partially call upon their kin-form to gain strength or speed. For Aurenai, full-kin transformations are rare and reserved for rituals or warfare.

Unlike the Aurenai, the Ruhkai’s Affinity of Form is a primal instinct. Many Ruhkai live in a near-constant state of partial, or even full, form-shifting, which allows them the instinct to guide their bodies and senses without restraint. Their shifting isn’t ceremonial or disciplined—it’s instinct, immediate and natural, which allows them to adapt to survival needs in real-time. This makes Ruhkai incredible resilient and keen-sensed. Their bodies are fine-tuned to survive in harsh wilderness with enhanced reflexes, senses and stamina than their Order-bound cousins.

While the Ruhkai are fierce and wild, they are prone to overextension and recklessness in battle. Once blood is spilled or a threat is imminent, many Ruhkai lose their tactical awareness, making them belligerent and predictable. This leaves them vulnerable to traps, strategy and manipulation.

The Aurenai are disciplined, strategic and precise unlike the Ruhkai, but fall short in their physical strength, vitality and reflexes compared to their feral cousins. Their reliance on form and focus leaves them vulnerable to brute force and having their form and concentration disrupted by fear, overwhelm or anger.

⚔️ Racial Strengths

(Optional — for roleplay flavor only, not stats)

• Enhanced sense like hearing, smell and reflexes; traits tied to their kin-sort. (E.g. a turtle-kin would not have enhanced reflexes.)
• Agility and grace; they are naturally swift, flexible and agile
• Aurenai are extremely well disciplined and have a strong resistance to fear and manipulation.
• Ruhkai have heightened stamina, endurance and a vicious tenacity in battle compared to most other races.

🎲 Trivia

Fun or strange facts that give this race extra character. Use bullets or toggles.

• Aurenai consider losing control of their form-shifting as a deep personal shame, while Ruhkai embrace uncontrolled shifting as a show of strength!
• It is considered polite among Aurenai to hide animal traits in formal settings and public. Ruhkai openly display them as a mark of pride.
• A common Reikai superstition says that if mist lingers at your door at dawn, an important change is coming…
• Young Reikai cannot always control their shifting and may sometimes get stuck in partial or full animal form until they figure out of how shift back