Khaeros

Physiology & Appearance | Notable Characters | Additional Information

Religion

Maybe the most religious people of all Khaeros, the Azhurans hold the deities’ majestic forces in very high esteem, effortly demonstrating their submission and appreciation for all They accomplished for all the surface dwellers. However, one God is revered in a special way: Xipotec, the God of the Sun and Fire. While never being unattendant to the Deities’ proper rituals, the Azhurans’ devotion to Xipotec is so feverish they meld their entire way of life to accomodate His praising.

Xipotec, God of the Sun, Fire, Power and Majesty: no God receives higher praising from Azhurans than this deity. Innumerous sacrifices, in different occasions, reveal the importance of this Entity to this people. He is considered the key to all existence, whose energy and radiance allow the world to move and generate life. Also, the entire civilization believes that the truly worthy ones, once deprived of this human and frail vessel of flesh, shall be embraced by Xipotec Himself in an everlasting life on the very surface of the Sun. His symbol is the Volcano, representing rebirth through the cleansing fire.

Lahti, Goddess of the Moon, Magic, Mistery and Secrets: Sister of Xipotec, She is also known as the Keeper of Secrecy, but it is unusual for any Azhuran to even mention her. Even though they pay Her proper homage in certain periods of the year, most Azhurans treat the mysterious Goddess rather suspiciously. For that reason alone, no event of any sort is held at night in Azhur, in fear of Lahti stealing the people’s festivities and locking those away in jealousy of Her radiant brother’s privileges. Her symbol is the Wolf, and the image of this loner on a grey hill is just about enough for Azhurans to picture this dreadful Entity.

Tlaloc, God of the Sea, Water, Travels and Luck: representing elements of serious distastefulness for Azhurans, Tlaloc is revered out of an attempt not to anger the God, especially in the heavy rain season. Being comfortable with keeping to itself, the Azhuran civilization desires no future travelling, but, most of all, thrives to keep Tlaloc out of the skies in the shape of stormy clouds. The sacrifices meant to Him are sincere, but so is the wish for him to stay away from their dwellings. His symbol is the Hydra, representing the devastating and uncontrollable might of the angered waters.

Kalia, Goddess of Earth, Fertility, Nature and Balance: wife to Xipotec, Kalia embodies the virtues of the natural world and the life She pours on it. The union of Xipotec’s energy and Kalia’s earth gives birth to volcanos. For that very reason, those are very dear to the Azhurans. Although both men and women alike pay homage to Kalia, the Apahuac herself is more attuned to the teachings of the Goddess, making the women more inclined to worship her. Her symbol is the Horse, whose vivid and fairly indomitable nature reflects that of life at its very core.

Camatli, God of War, Chaos, Creativity and Cunning: although the Azhurans are very little inclined to planning a warrying campaign on others, Camatli’s elements are very treasured within the community. Creativity and cunning both lead to perfecting one’s way of life, and that is the main goal of every Azhuran. When inspiraption is drawn from the figure of Camatli, it may result in a wondrous achievement. Ceremonies held on His behalf are from the heart, since Azhurans are very used to Camatli’s dual influence over creation and destruction. His symbol is the Dragon, who is a being of both great intellect and devastating power.

Omchali, Goddess of Death, Order, Continuity and the Abyss: Azhurans have a very affectionate relationship to Omchali, to whom they send their dead who did not evolve enough to be reborn in the realm of the Sun. Even though such is done to avoid upsetting Her and, thus, allow the enlighted souls to ascend to Xipotec, the spirits of the deceased are respected wherever they go, and Azhurans do trust Omchali to take good care of their fallen. Her symbol is the Serpent, whose crawling and undetected approach reminds the living that death comes to all, with no regard to how high they might think of themselves.

Sacred Ceremonies

There are several ways used by the Azhurans to please their Gods, but some are so bound to everyday life and tradition that they are carried out almost instinctively. Quite a few of the ceremonial rites demand sacrifices, and the Azhuran gladly provide them, sometimes at the stake of their own lives.

Xipotec: to the God of the Sun is directed the greatest homage. Small and everyday rites are performed by the whole community, such as the outdoor prayers to the Sun every morning or avoidance of being at any one place indoors without the light of a torch. However, the major rites are the ones solemnly given a proper name and offering.

Escaldia (or Cremation): to consume a deceased Azhuran in a funeral pyre. The soul is sent to the skies, along with the ashes and smoke from the cremation. Hopefully, Xipotec will accept the Azhuran’s spirit and embrace it, allowing entrance into his realm of radiance on the surface of the Sun. Quite often, badly wounded or aged Azhuran of lower branches ask the permission of the Ataloa to be cremated alive. If deemed worthy, these Azhurans are elevated to the Higher Branch at the moment of combustion, achieving the last step in the social ladder with the sacrifice of their own lives. However, only Cahulia may request for such honour, and it is less than seldom given by the Ataloa.

Calihuec (or Flames of Change): this ritual is, actually, the sum of several activities related to fire or energy at some degree. It is called upon an Azhuran pre-marital status or at the break of warfare. It was thus baptized in honour of a great warrior from times past, an icon of endurance and sheer determination. The central event of any Calihuec is the one with the ceremonial bonfire: on the brink of dusk, all capable men (or only the groom, if it is during a wedding) try to approach the bonfire as much as they can, being the winner the one standing closest to it when daylight fades completely. Calihuec, according to legend, was the ultimate winner of the task from all times, since he actually entered the bonfire. From this record on, history and myth fail to agree on a reasonable level.

Lahti: the Goddess of the Moon is portraid as the Keeper of Secrets, and the Azhurans were always afraid She would steal their secrets and give them to other nations. Therefore, all rituals meant directed to her are based on this principle: to avoid losing their secrets to the Maiden of the Night.

Ecla (or Dowry): consists on a rite performed by a bride-to-be. Before the wedding, the Aehlia must travel alone to the jungle at night, wearing no more than exquisite obsidian-crafted gifts. These offerings are left on a spot where the moonlight is particularly shiny, along with a plea to the Goddess not to steal her husband-to-be in slumber. After performing all this, she still needs to wait for another moon and, only then, return to Azhur, having shown her determination to Lahti.

Atoen (or Release): Atoen is a rite which shares similarities with the previous one, since it involves the donation of a finely crafted object to Lahti. Carried out mostly by crafters, each grand creation of an Azhuran is, by tradition, offered to the Moon Goddess, to make sure She knows the crafter is not hiding anything from Her. This way, Lahti will be pleased and will not steal the secrets of the crafters’ talents and lock them away. The creation is laid on the outside of a house or shop, to make sure She knows who the creator is. Also, this ritual praises Camatli as well, since, early next morning, the Azhurans that find the object lying by the door quickly smash it to pieces. This way, the God of War receives, accordingly, the sacrifice of the same item whose creation and destruction He inspired.

Tlaloc: the God of the Oceans receives little formal attention from most Azhurans, and the homages He is entitled to are purely based on fear He might take over the skies and block Xipotec with darkened clouds. However, the Azhurans entrust Tlaloc with the task of enslaving the worst criminals at the bottom of the ocean, thus depriving them of sunlight in exchange for an underwater eternity.

Haluaroc (or Damnation): the worst Azhuran ritual is left in the hands of Tlaloc. Dead criminals are carried to the nearby river and released. Eventually, the corpse meets Tlaloc in deep and dark waters and the offender is dealt with forever. However, some actions may be so insulting to the tribe that, instead of arresting the offender for life until the Haluaroc simply is not enough. For those rare occasions, the perpetrator is beaten unconscious by several Eagle Warriors and whoever wants to take part in it. To the outlaw is, then, chained a heavy shard of obsidian while the punitive comission travels to the border of the ocean. When the offender regains his senses, he is tossed to the dephts of the cold waters, drowning all the way to Tlaloc’s many necks.

Kalia: the fair Goddess of Earth and Life is, in the eyes of Azhurans, a modest and serene Entity. While it would be inconsistent to Her teachings to provide Her with sacrifices, all newly born Azhurans are consacrated to Xipotec’ wife.

Camatli: He inspires Azhuran crafters to create sophisticated designs, which also serve dangerous purposes. Nevertheless, to the God of War is given great attention.

Suhli (or Blood): whenever invading troops allow the capture of war prisioners, the best opponents are sent to be sacrificed at the top of the temple and in behalf of Camatli. An offer is made to the victim: to yield voluntarily, receiving the benefit of a prayer to their Gods and to be killed with their own weapon, commiting suicide. Whether the offer is taken or declined, the outsider is slain and their heart is removed and lifted to the sky, for Camatli and Xipotec to behold. This ritual is closely watched by the Atrileac and his Sect, to which the torn heart is given to be properly disposed.

Omchali: death is a constant presence, but also a natural one. The Azhurans see the Goddess of Death as the One who binds the cycle towards itself, moving the world’s gears to evolution. To offer sacrifices to Omchali would be pretentious of the Azhurans, since She is the Mistress who claims lives. Although they greatly respect her, those who are sent to her dwellings (the Abyss) are whom Azhurans mourn the most.

Bruiel (or Sinking): while Azhurans are being buried, fellow companions of the deceased and their closest ones in life chant hymns and prayers to guide their unfortunate spirits towards Omchali’s realm. However, it is the Atrileac who, mournfully, leads the rites so that the deceased serves the Goddess well in the Abyss, hoping to one day return to Azhur after eons of service. The tribe believes that, once the Atrileac concludes the ritual, the souls of the deceased abandon their burial grounds and sink to their fate, to the Abyss, until they find Omchali.

Common Behavior

Even though the Azhuran community may seem like several others, with busy crafters and crowdy training grounds, there are a few routines every Azhuran follows that are quite unique and symbolical. For instance, every citizen (be in their own society or anywhere else) tends to go to bed at nightfall, as Azhurans also prefer to wake up early in order to avoid missing the sacred sunrise.

Waking Up

This ritual is rather strict and to disrespect it among one’s kin is a grave offence. Whenever a new day is born, no Azhuran may utter a single word before going outside and offering a prayer to the rising Sun. On rare and specific occasions that would prevent this ritual from happening (for example, a heavily clouded morning), the Azhurans sadly carry on with their lives, although the moment the Sun finally comes up they immediately interrupt whatever they were doing in order to fulfill the rite properly.

Indoors and Outdoors Activities

To an Azhuran, a roof means protection from Nature’s elements such as heavy rain or howling winds. However, the Sun’s radiance is very much welcome to all, and these people perform everything they can out in the open to enjoy daylight. Even when indoors, performing tasks they otherwise would not be able to (for instance, maintaining a supplies shop), these establishments have plenty of windows and the doors are usually kept open.

Night Time Activities

The mere arrival of those minutes of twilight that separate day from night are more than enough to stimulate a brutal decrease of activity in Azhuran: shops are closed, sessions of training or studying are adjourned and most oficial establishments call it a day. Nevertheless, Azhurans tend to remain in public places for a bit of the night, especially when given good news or similar stimulation. The public saying Where there’s smoke, there’s an Azhuran is quite true, since no one is allowed to stay in a location deprived of light. It is disrespectful and the citizens are known to formally complain about such a transgression to the authorities, having the certainty that the matter will be punished. For that very reason, Azhur is hot day and night, with laborers igniting torches all night long, or for as long as any movement from the dwellers is noticeable. If someday one finds Azhur doused in complete darkness, it is certain that some plague wiped out the entire populace.

Conversations

The communal nature of the Azhuran society inspires the philosophy that a fellow citizen is always worthy of paying attention, in disregard of eventual degrees in their social status or any other circumstances, except those so urgent an eventual conversation might provoke serious problems. This is especially valid if a fellow Azhuran is in need of some sort of assistance, which the other is able to provide.

However, when dealing with foreigners, the scenario radically changes. Until some clues of their apparent intentions are displayed, the Azhurans will remain silent and suspicious of that person. Even when they have a good idea of what the other wants, the Azhurans will keep to themselves as much as they can, usually revealing nothing but the necessary, like a certain item’s price or the location of the nearest exit. Even when relatively comfortable in the presence of a foreigner – which is quite rare, although praising the Sun will often produce a significant amount of success - the Azhuran shall never use words in their own language with others, nor will they evoke the names of their Gods for any given reason. Until the foreigner is somehow accepted into the Azhuran society, this procedure is to be followed, bringing serious punishment to whoever disobeys it.

Bathing

Hygiene is a well-known concept within the tribe, although it bears some differences in comparison with the usual meaning of cleanliness. Azhurans will, once a day, make themselves clean at the river not too far from their dwellings, with a muddy herb and tiny mushrooms-made soap. Smudges and general dirt are considered quite distasteful for Azhurans, but sweat alone is not held as filth: it makes the tribesmen’s skin shine and reflect sunlight, hence their appreciation for such display.

Marriage

The ceremony by which Azhurans become husband and wife are highly treasured in their community. Hardly any boundaries are there for two Azhurans to get married, including mixed-branch weddings and even that of slaves marrying whomever agrees with it. However, marriage defines an institution very important to every denizen, and should be considered with great caution. There is no such word as divorce in the Azhuran lexicon, as it establishes disunion and dissension between brothers and sisters.

Because of such importance, every wedding is oversawn and performed by the Holy Mother alone, being that the event will not take place during her absence, for any given reason. It is the only way to ensure the newly wed couple will bear healthy and valourous offspring. Also, the Apahuac has influence over whether a wedding is blessed by the Gods or not, and may decide not to unite the Azhurans if she strongly believes it is not for the good of her people. Her decision is final and may not be questioned by anyone in this matter. However, she will gladly and voluntarily receive advice from either the Ataloa or the Atrlieac, although she is not obliged to abide by either one in this case.

Once the marriage is accepted, a great festivity is held in the seven prior days of the ceremony itself. The groom (Eloc) has to overcome the Calihuec, a sort of challenge amongst his equals to prove himself worthy of his bride (Aehla). Usually a cornucopia of tasks are required of the male Azhuran, and they are as diverse and countless to mention – generally they include barefoot dancing on surfaces covered with flaming charcoal and dousing the fire of several small torches with no more than one’s hands. However, one task is mandatory and is performed generation after generation: around the last hour of daylight on the fifth day of festivities, a great bonfire is set in the centre of the city, and the Eloc is challenged to approach the bonfire. This is a solemn ritual and is also used in times of war, although this task has two major distinctions: only the Eloc takes the challenge instead of the whole men of the tribe; and the general spirit is that of amusement and laughter, while in troubled times it is of seriousness and resignation.

The bride has also tasks to fulfill before the ceremony, although they are far less pleasant in nature. The Aehlia must prepare for a lonely and ritual trip to somewhere she has never been before. Women trusted by her might help her to prepare for such a trip, but their aid does not ease the burden she must carry while undergoing her task: sometime in the week before the wedding, she must leave the city unannounced, dressed with no more than the jewelry crafted with obsidian which were presented by her friends, and head for the jungle. However, this pilgrimage must be taken at night, by the watch of the Moon and her dreaded Goddess. In the jungle, the bride makes a sacred vow to Lahti and asks Her not to steal her husband in slumber. In return, the Aehlia presents the Goddess with her valuables, leaving them at sight of the moonlight so that She may claim them. The bride must, then, remain awake for a whole day as a test of willpower, abandoning the jungle no sooner than the rise of a new moon, the following night. If the Aehlia accomplishes all this, she is considered worthy of tending to her husband and marriage. The union of man and woman is consumed when, after the first night as husband and wife, they burn each other’s garments and display the ashes to the rest of the tribe, symbolizing the end of a period and the beginning of a new one in their lives.

Marriage between Azhurans and foreigners are allowed, although not very common. However, the foreigner does not have the right to partake in the usual festivities. Instead, one day in the week before the wedding, the outsider is savagely beaten without prior knowledge of what is to happen. If the foreigner is the groom, then a dozen unarmed soldiers attack him during slumber, although no more than bruises are to be left the next morning. When the bride is from another civilization, she has the same treatment, with the exception that native women provide the beating. After the following sunrise, if the outsider is still in town and willing to marry the Azhuran, the community realizes the person is able to submit to their way of life and to their Gods, being finally treated as an Azhuran forever.

Birth and Baptism

Every newborn Azhuran is a reflection of the Holy Mother’s devotion to provide the future generations a safe haven. Each child is left to her own parents for the proper raising and will not have to dismiss family ties with them until death assumes this role.

Malformations, skins diseases and other deformities rarely pay any important role for Azhurans. They trust this mortal flesh is merely a temporary state, thus making it of low account whether a child was given a perfect build. However, mental disabilities do constitute a dilemma, in which the fate of the youngling must be hastily decided. At the age of three, if the child is still unable to repeat their Gods name and manifest some crude understanding of Their teachings, the parents are entrusted to end the child’s life and dispose of their corpse in the ocean.

Healthy children who passed the test are then baptized, and for the tribe this procedure is carried out with a torch: a locket of the youngling’s hair is cut off and consumed on the flame, while the parents chant the same prayer the Apahuac does. Finally, the Apahuac binds the child’s existence to Xipotec and calls for Kaila’s blessings to pour on the frail vessel.

Death and Memorial

An Azhuran’s death is approached differently from case to case, depending mostly on what the deceased has accomplished in life and his/her importance towards the community. The higher the status of the deceased, the less they are mourned and remembered, because the Azhurans believe there is a very good chance that the Azhuran is now living on the surface of the Sun, on Xipotec’s realm of Radiance. Furthermore, it is quite common to be envious of a dead Azhuran, since the True Life is what ultimately moves these people.

According to the deceased’s importance, there is a handful of ways to properly honour the passing. If an Azhuran is buried, it means that person was not of importance to the community and did not contribute to anything decisive or of great aid to them. It also means that the dead one did not have time to evolve, dying on an early stage of enlightment. Such a person may not be sent to the Sun, so they might as well serve as nourishment for better and worthier lives. The community deeply mourns such deaths, since they face them as a failure of themselves as a whole, being unable to further develop that life which is no longer between them. With the exception of the proper ceremonies to praise the Gods, all ceremonies and festivities (if mandatory) are carried out with diminished spirits.

When a deceased is cremated, however, the environment is that of a celebration. To simbolize the rebirth on the surface of the Sun, the dead one is set aflame on a tall pyre, while his former brothers and sisters rejoice his passing in euphory. To Azhurans, it is as if the person were not dead, but sent to True Life, and the currently deceased would certainly be awaiting the others whenever they manage to journey to the surface of the Sun as well. Being cremated is one of the highest glories an Azhuran may achieve, and it demands a lot of effort to reach this level of recognition. The ashes are usually blown to the winds as to set the corpse’s remains free the same way the spirit is, but the ashes of iconic and fundamentally important Azhurans are, instead, kept in a sacred and eerie place called the Ossuary. There is a myth about souls of enlighted Azhuran ancients previously sent to Xipotec to be so evolved as to still keep watch on their kin, and it is believed the Ossuary to be where they communicate with each other through unknown means. Therefore, this place lies within great distance from the tribe, and visits are usually forbidden, except for those with a reasonable request and the authorities’ permission.

There is, indeed, a third kind of ritual to mark someone’s passing, but it is far from honourable. Although not at all common, the perpetrator of heavy offences against the Azhurans might face, in their own way, a terrible fate. When the offending criminal is dead, if his doings were bad enough, he is sentenced to the dwellings of Tlaloc, God of the Oceans. A group of very important Azhurans carry the well-treated and preserved corpse of the offender and dump it on the river, which will eventually sink to the depths of the ocean. It is done so as to prevent the criminal from ever again receiving a single beam of light, being cast to the depths of the dark waters of Tlaloc. The corpse is well taken care of to last in pristine condition for many years, so that Tlaloc Himself remembers who his waters were fed with. There is no greater disgrace to an Azhuran than to depart like that, and events such as these hardly go untold to future generations.

Family Bonds

The strongest ties in the tribe are those of husband and wife. Both have strict duties to uphold their blessed unity, and no authority can interfere with two fellow companions’ relationship unless being previously sought for guidance. Marriage is so highly valued within their society because, once a man and a woman are bound by the sacred vows, they represent the Ataloa and the Apahuac, who in turn represent Xipotec and Kalia, in their own home. Married Azhurans will remain with their companion until one of them passes away, while the surviving citizen is not allowed to remarry ever again. To do so would be disrespectful to the deceased’s memory and to the society as a whole.

The ties that unite tribesmen and their other relatives are variable and flexible, depending on the stage of development of each Azhuran. Parents of young children up to four years old are very protective of their offspring, often not allowing any other Azhuran to meddle with the child’s raising. Until she is old enough, the child will only know what her parents teach her, which mostly concerns religion and cultural teachings.

When the child is old enough, it is mandatory for her to be sent over to a Shaman, who will teach the youngling more complex and necessary lessons. This causes the ties between the parents and their child to loosen up, since the young one has now contact with an authority and other children. This situation lasts until the young one starts to grow into a teenager.

After aging enough to pick up a task or a profession, the teenager will be given a set of rights and responsibilities, being thus recognized as an adult individual. As so, the bonds the Azhurans retain with their parents will last for life. All citizens learn, throughout their lives, to respect the figure of their parents, their tribe, the Ataloa and the Apahuac and, above all, the Gods. The excessive paternal and maternal figures cause a rupture on one’s natural instincts to follow their biological progenitors, since the average Azhuran shows the same reverence to their parents, fellow tribesmen and elders.

Education

Upon their fourth birthday, every child must begin their education. This is how the knowledge passes from an Azhuran to their brethren, and it is how the young ones learn about their Gods and their achievements. Thus, an early education is enforced and provided by the tribe to all children. Usually, the lessons are taught by the Atloe, but an experienced Shaman may take up on it.

Regardless of the teacher’s position, the knowledge will be passed on in accordance to the Azhurans’ priority standards: astronomy and theology are a must, and so are family and community values. As in their homes, all lessons are taught orally, and a few learn how to read and write. However, every Azhuran must be taught, regardless of age, how to recognize their Gods’ symbols and the tribe’s as well, even if they are unable to read or write. This general teachings last until the child starts to develop, which would mean a quick gain of muscles and hair by boys and, for girls, the appearance of womanly traits. When this happens, the young Azhuran is sent home and does not have to attend school anymore, as they have learned everything that was needed to start taking their own steps.

Nevertheless, the teenager has now responsibilities towards their family and their tribe. The decision of what profession the young Azhuran will turn to is entirely up to them, as long as they assist their community in some way. Commonly the Ataloa is approached for advice on that matter, but any mature Azhuran may instruct the younger ones on a path. Refusing to assist a younger Azhuran in need is heavily frowned upon.

Meaningful Gestures

The Azhurans have their own body expression to denote several emotional states, with no aid of words whatsoever. These mannerisms are very distinctive from those of most civilizations and may, sometimes, cause troubled looks from people unaware of their significance.

Greeting/parting: an Azhuran, when greeting or parting, raises a clenched fist to symbolize the torch, an icon very dear to the tribe. Usually the working hand is used for this gesture, although there is hardly a rule to whichever hand should be used.

Reverence: bowing is the gesture of choice when worshipping their Deities, and should be strictly reserved for such. To bow before another surface dweller would be impious and disrespectful to the Gods, even when dealing with important human figures such as a King. This might cause distress, as some leaders may demand these formalities at all costs.

Insulting: to anger another Azhuran, the simple gesture of placing one’s hand above one’s own head with the palm flipped down is usually enough. This is demeaning and shameful, as it symbolizes the one being taunted will soon enough reach their threshold and will not develop anymore, being unable to ascend to Xipotec’s high spiritual standards. There have been occasions in which Azhurans simply charged ferociously at outlanders who were simply protecting themselves from the rain with an unfortunate and similar gesture.

Treasured Offerings

The Azhurans are, most of the time, very dense when dealing with outsiders, but are also quite pleased with the right gifts. The golden rule to establish a warm conversation (and perhaps even friendship) with a tribesman is to present them something flammable. Burning the gift is a token of great appreciation, since fire is the element that binds both the Azhuran’s ideals and hopes together. However, if an urge to set the offering on fire was not noticeable on the Azhuran’s eyes, one may be certain his attempt backfired.

Not all offerings must necessarily be shaped as gifts, so to speak. Good intentions are also very much welcome, such as igniting a row of torches on behalf of an arriving ambassador to unfamiliar grounds. Even if the matters to be discussed are tense, the Azhuran diplomat will definitely appreciate the outlanders’ effort to honour the official’s beliefs. On the other hand, apparently unimportant actions, such as accidently drenching the ambassador or his crew, or dousing flames while on their presence, might cause severe disruptions in the relation between both countries. Depending on the offence, the Ataloa himself may decide the insult was too scandalous to be forgotten, permanently dismissing whatever contact the tribe had with that nation. To call upon such harsh actions from the Ataloa is a point of no return.