Vastaya; The Eternal Race of Hanwind

History:

The vastaya's origins can be traced back to a hidden corner of Hanwind where a group of humans fled in escape of the Great Ruby-Tide War (Many many years before the Colorless War). There, these refugees came into contact with a tribe of intelligent shape-shifting creatures who were greatly in tune with the world's natural magicks. These spiritual creatures, known as the Vasthayshai'rei, welcomed the human refugees and eventually produced what Hanwindi's now refer to as vastaya - a blanket classification for any number of species of chimeric creatures. Over time, the varied offshoots began to settle in different regions and naturally adopted different forms - simian, avian, even piscine - according to the creatures which most embodied their strongest characteristics. 

 In addition to their animal-human forms, vastaya are notable for their extremely long lives. Some have been known to live for hundreds of years, while others claim to be immortal. 

 As time wore on and the vastayan bloodline spread throughout Hanwind, an interesting genetic aberration occurred: certain humans with very small amounts of vastayan heritage gained the ability to shapeshift. From the frozen Frelise to the darkest jungles of Hanwind, these shape-shifters can't maintain their animalistic forms for long, yet are still capable of harnessing some of their ancestral magic and change their shape.

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Biology:

Vastaya are sexually dimorphic group of races of various shapes and sizes. Their animalistic appearance depends on the location in which they adapted. However, there are three distinct types of Vastayan appearances and natures:

• With very strong animalistic features. They closely resemble upward walking mammals which have largely animalistic features in their bodies design and behavior.
  
• With mild animalistic features. They closely resemble humans, but still retain a modest level of animalistic elements, most notable feline ears, or feathers. The facial characteristics are closer to human appearance than animalistic.
  
• Shapeshifters. They ether retain ether a human or animal appearance of their choosing, but they are able to shapeshift in and out of each forms.
  

Each type of Vastaya greatly differ from one another in appearance and abilities, but all of them are in tune with the natural magics of the world in various degrees. Some are born in the race (or have ancestral ties to the race and have Vastayan traits manifested), while a rare few are magically altered to become one of three types types of Vastaya. The race has far longer life spans than humans. Some have been said to live for hundreds of years, while others, rumors and legends say, might be immortal.

Having Vastayan heritage is not the same as being a Vastayan. A true vastayan can live in the mortal world, but not for very long without access to magic. A true vastayan can also live in the spirit realm, but not for very long without a material form to contain them. The ancient ones were born in the borders between mortal and spirit realms. Long ago those borders were less distinct and more common.

Furthermore, many creatures gain power from the spirits' realms in other ways. Vastayan and creatures with the Vastayan heritage have a common ancient ancestor born from between mortal world and the spirit world. This means they are born with a natural magical connection to natural magicks. Others creatures and magic users have stolen this magic or taken it from the spirit world but they are not vastayan and do not even have that heritage.
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Culture:


Not much is known about their culture due to the mysterious nature of this race. However, as they biological nature, their culture is a mix of both animalistic and human behavior which reflects both in the races individual's interaction with other sentient and non sentient beings. Their culture is also heavily shaped by the location each type of Vastaya live in.

The Marai Vastaya have cultural and existential ties with Mount Stotia. The Tidestone protects its people from monsters from the dark depths of the Guardian's Sea. However, the Tidestone needs to be replenished over time, so a Wavecaller of each generation is tasked to retrieve a new one from the contemporary vessel for the Stotian Aspect of the Moon.

The Kiilash Vastaya have cultural and existential ties with the desert, Ellin. Their entire society revolves around the honor and glory of the hunt. Due to Ellin having a wide infestation of shadowborn creatures, the Killash see them as one of the most venerated and sought after prey.

The Lhotlan Vastaya have cultural and existential ties with Illos; The largest continent on Hanwind. Being one of the oldest Vastayan tribes in existence, they have deep ties with their ancestral roots and protect their cultural heritage from the ever encroaching human population of the continent.

The Shimon Vastaya have cultural and existential ties with Illos. These apelike Vastaya are a wise, cautious people, and as pacifists, chose to build their society away from landwalkers, cultivating their society atop the tallest trees in Illos. The Shimon see life as an evolutionary climb to wisdom, thus upon death, the Shimon believe they become stones, returning to the soil to begin the climb of life again.

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Notable Vastaya-

Katarina [Nighthalzen- Lhotlan Tribe]

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Lyra [Merfolk- Marai Tribe]

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