The Tawle

[Kaane]

The Tawle
Sidenote: None of this art is mine. Belongs to their respective owners.

A Tawlian specimen in peak fitness. Males and females, Airn and Aln, look similar. The Aln, however, possess much smaller wings that are normally amputated by age 20, and are slightly stockier in build.​

Name: The Tawle. Flightless majority subspecies = the Aln; Flight-capable minority subspecies = the Airn
_________________________________________________
Biology: The Tawle are genetically and biologically similar to the Fosh, as they have evolved into a similar humanoid form, with five-fingered, clawed hands, and tridactyl, flayed feet ideal for gripping onto surfaces and agile sprinting. They stand at an imposing height, at an average of 1.8-2 meters tall. However, their bones are hollow, allowing for flight, but also for fractures and breakage, especially where they are largely uncovered by muscle (the wings, shins, etc). Their musculatures, being of avian stock, are well-developed, with the untrained of their species having strength that is slightly above average compared to a human. They also possess wings on their backs. The Airn possess large, fully functional wings, while those of the Aln have become smaller and vestigial. Both subspecies also live out the same approximate lifespan, on average around 100-110 years.

Gender-wise, females and males differ internally as most mammalian species would, and males are usually taller and have a slightly stockier build than the females. However, since females often have muscular bodies naturally and don’t possess breasts, a female can easily be mistaken by an outsider as a smaller male.

Overt effects of genetic mutation are relatively common. Instances usually result in differing eye hues, beak colors and/or shapes, or feather colors, the most common mutations resulting in splotches of grey or brown clouding the otherwise fully black feathers a Tawle would normally possess. The rarest of these mutations result in a completely white Tawle, considered as divine by both cultures. Albino Tawles also seem to possess a powerful attunement to the Force, and often become great priests/shamen, depending on what subspecies they were born into.

Their most significant feature is an organ located at the exact center of gravity in their bodies, which scientists on the Tawle planet have called Velthenn. Off-world scientists have given them a more accessible name, magnephiles. These spherical balls of what appear to be a highly polar organic substance synthesized with functional groups containing heavy metals has the intriguing property of putting a Tawle in contact with a planet’s magnetic field, which was primarily used for the use of flying in the heavily magnetized air of their homeworld. By producing, maintaining, and instinctively or consciously controlling an organic magnetic field created by the magnephile, they can use the inherent magnetic field of sufficient strength of any planet to fly. They are also useful conduits when manipulating the force; part of both the Airn and Aln Force Traditions involve the manipulation of the magnetic field surrounding the planet to produce effects in the world around them, which relies just as much on that curious organ as the Force itself.

However, not all planets have a magnetic field strong enough to sustain Tawle flight, meaning on smaller, less geologically active planets, it is not an option. Also, if the magnephile is maimed deeply enough or removed from a Tawle’s body, death ensues within minutes as control of the body is lost entirely, akin to the effects of a massive seizure. Though it has a hard consistency which makes it rather difficult to harm unintentionally, even slight damage can cause hallucinations, seizures, arrhythmia, hypo or hypertension, acid reflux, and breathing difficulties. It is thought by most that the magnephile commands the regulatory system that controls unconscious processes within the Tawle body, but even Tawle scientists are still somewhat baffled by it.
_________________________________________________

Subspecies: There are two branches of subspecies: the dominant subspecies is the Aln, who prefer life on the ground and whose wings have become smaller and vestigial, and the Airn, the minority, who still utilize the skies as their domain and are fully capable of flight. Their genetic makeup and physiology have evolved only in a marginally dissimilar fashion, and their main differences involve their culture and lifestyles, which will be explained further.
_________________________________________________

Sentience: Fully-developed
_________________________________________________

Breeding: Mating for both subspecies of the Tawle, like most avian species, begins with a dance of courtship. For the Aln, this dance is set to music, and is carefully choreographed at first, each movement symbolizing a deeper level of commitment. However, the couple will often lose themselves to passion as the music accompanying the dance reaches its peak, sealing a lifelong bond (it should be noted however that it is statistically more difficult for Aln to find a match, due to their antisocial and independent tendencies. Personal preference can at times overrule biological imperative). For the Airn, the dance is more instinctive and takes place in the air, ending in a trademark maneuver where the couple stops in midflight, wrapping their wings around themselves and plummeting towards the ground until at the last possible second they break away. According to the Airn tradition, the length of this final phase will predetermine the success of the mateship. Unfortunately, due to this belief, couples have died trying to make it last as long as possible, but the practice continues despite the inherent dangers.

After a couple consummates and a gestation period of anywhere between 30-35 days, the female gives birth to one egg, or rarely, two. The eggs are usually of a light brown hue, spattered with black freckles. The eggs are then incubated in specialized chambers (or at times by the parents themselves) for around nine months before they finally hatch. Like humans, children are then taken care of until they have reached full sexual and mental maturity, both parents feeding their children by regurgitating excess, partially digested food stored in small pouches in their esophageal passages into their mouths until they are capable of eating food by themselves. Tawle go through the first signs of puberty at around 16 years of age, with full sexual and mental maturity reached at about 25. Independence from parental guidance is reached at the age of 20. Young adulthood is reached at around 35 years of age, middle age is considered to be reached anywhere between 60 and 70, and finally, old age is attained at 100 years of age. Any Tawle surviving after the age of 120 are considered elders and quite venerable, though 130 is almost always the uppermost limit to a Tawle’s lifespan.
__________________________________________________

Strengths

• Airn subspecies is capable of flight on sufficiently magnetized planets
  
• Intelligent
  
• Fantastic imitators/students of language and other sounds
  
• Physically imposing and stronger than the average human.
  
• Aln are independent, creative thinkers; Airn have a powerful instinctive desire to maintain a strong communities among their kind.

Weaknesses:

• Bones are easy to break.
  
• The maiming of the magnephile is a death sentence.
  
• Both subspecies are fanatically devout to their religions.
  
• Aln government has a tendency to be quite corrupt, as do the selfish tendencies of their people in general.
  
• No Tawle is an exceptionally good team player unless they learn how to be one.

__________________________________________________

Diet: Due to the relative scarcity of habitable land on their home planet and their scavenger heritage, they have evolved to eat almost anything. Berries, nuts, insects, lizards, mammals, fish (though scarce due to the lack of above ground water), other birds, and even certain leaves are all on the menu. In the savage time before the Schism, cannibalism was even practiced (though only on rare occasions in wars between tribes), where “organs of power” such as the heart and brain were indulged in. Only the sacred Tu’Wale bird is off the menu due to it hosting their ancestral roots, and for the Airn, housing the divine form of the Great Wind.
_________________________________________________

Behavior/Temperament: Both subspecies usually possess a grave countenance, seemingly at all times. However, this is largely due to their non-malleable beaks and their asocial tendencies. Despite their tempered behavior, they truly come into their own when they are left alone. A Tawle’s domicile is usually filled with their favorite things and trinkets they collect on their journey through life, especially trophies of their personal victories. They also tend to undertake creative projects by themselves, many of which do not reach completion due to their inability to easily share personal endeavours with others.

The degree of individuality expression and controlled behavior depends on the subspecies. The Aln, who glorify individuality via their religion of Awtlaw, often allow for wildly varying personalities to be exhibited. However, only a select few can be described as outgoing, despite this acceptance of difference. Though their environment is open, they still tend to keep to themselves. Aln Nationalism, following the customs and spiritual path of Awtlaw, the needs of one’s nuclear family, and perhaps the necessity to work together on a collective job to earn a wage are truly all that keeps them together.

Airn are considerably more bound to their communities. But even then, they are only to their clans and tribes. At heart, they still bear the mindset of the lone scavenger birds they came from. Loyalty is still being learned within their culture, and some Airn do go off to live lives alone, especially Force Sensitives seeking to get closer to the Great Wind, becoming hermits.

However, friendships that do form are treasured all the more powerfully due to their scarcity and depth. In both the Aln and Airn cultures, such friendships and their participants are termed Thümntreti (Thümntret, singular). Literally translated, it means "heartbound." In fact, the Awklatyl word for friendship and marriage are the same thing, differentiated only by an added prefix when additional specificity is needed. Betrayal of such friendships is tantamount to ripping one’s soul in half for the Tawle, which is part of the reason why they tend to live in emotional isolation. Making such friendships constantly would ruin their meaning, not to mention that for the Aln, an excess of commitment would lead to losing sight of oneself, the divine individuality that they seek so desperately.
_________________________________________________

Communication: Both subspecies speak the same language, Awklaytl. As beaks make it difficult to form certain consonants conventionally, the words of the language are largely formed from the throat, punctuated by harsh, cutting consonants and shrill screeches. Since their ancestors, the Tu’wales, were quite masterful at imitating noises, using the sounds of certain things of importance as a means of rudimentary communication, the Awklaytl language often consists of mild moments of onomatopoeia. The word for “brook,” “creek,” or “stream” in Awklaytl has numerous clicks in it, for example, an imitation of water running over rocks. And the colloquial names for animals are often named after the sounds they make.

While vocabulary differs slightly amongst the two subspecies, usually resulting from the differences of perspective between the two, the pronunciation and grammar systems are mostly the same, making communication with each other somewhat stunted, but easily possible without translatory aid.

Their history of imitating sounds has also made them, with the development of a higher-functioning brain, excellent language learners, which is why the Airn and Aln languages barely differ.
__________________________________________________

History: The Tawle, according to their records, began as a unified species after evolving from native scavenger birds known as Tu’Wale (similar in appearance to crows, though they are about the size of vultures). As most early cultures do, they lived in a tribal system, with a naturalistic religion that appointed spirits and deities to every living and nonliving creature and concept they encountered. The tribes that composed the proto-Tawle civilization even had patron deities, using symbols from nature as their crests. Above all was the High Mother of these minor deities, the Great Wind, often depicted taking corporeal form as a motherly, loving Tu’Wale bird. And the Great Wind’s adversary, the God of the Earth, Shael, was taught to be her opposite, the embodiment of evil.

The tribes also shared a deep force tradition that involved calling upon the spirits of the deities surrounding them in a shamanistic fashion. While by no means as refined as the way of the Jedi

For an entire species to share a religious system, of course, seems to be a recipe for unity from the start. However, due to their lands being squashed between a small ocean to the west and south, a near impenetrable jungle to the north, and inhabitable volcanic plains to the east, they were constantly fighting for food, water, territory, and the honor of their clans. This warring and the independent attitudes of the Tawle kept them from forming the major civilizations characteristic of a sentient species’ early development. They didn’t do much more than throwing rocks at each other, perhaps creating short-lived alliances between clans that fell apart at the slightest hint of insult. That is, until an event the Aln call the Epiphany, and the Airn call the Fall. During the rare time the two subspecies talk to each other without pecking each other’s eyes out, this event is called a more neutral name: The Schism.

Out of the ever-shifting Tawlish political landscape, two powerful tribes had gathered their strength and taken dominion over the north and south halves of the Tawle homeland. A combination of opportunistic, strategic conquering and the formation of key, though begrudgingly-made, tribal alliances had created two massive conglomerates. Only months after they had achieved the formation of their respective confederacies, the two agreed upon a preset date of battle. It was to be the first and last great battle that rocked the species. And indeed, as both armies, tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands strong met on the volcanic plain that was to become legend, things were set to change. A massive loss of life was imminent, yet the species was never so close to finally uniting under one banner. The stage was set for the Tawlish civilization proper to emerge from the ashes. Until fate’s mercurial hand intervened.

Modern-day view of the ancient battleground before what is now known as Mount Shael. This is now a holy site of the Aln people, and a temple has been built within the volcano.​

As the two tribal confederacies sounded their great horns of war and rushed to clash at the center, the ground and even the air itself began to quake with unheard of ferocity. The Tawle were no strangers to the danger of seismic activity, and often stayed in the air to avoid it. But the earth-shattering force that rocked the battleground that day was unheard of before or ever since.

Soot poured from what was once thought to be a dormant volcano, blackening the skies. Thunder lanced from the growing cloud previously dormant volcano just on the edge of the eastern volcanic plains erupted with such force that it caused the entirety of the Tawle homeland to quake. Rock and lava blasted through the once-pinhole-sized opening at the top of the angered mountain, coalescing into a formless cloud. Lightning and thunder lanced to the ground, harsh streaks of white crackling loudly through the air, all embellished with the constant tumult of the very earth itself before and beneath the awestruck sentients.

And to top it all off, the mountain spoke.

The exact wording of what was said is a closely guarded secret of the Aln priest caste, and to them it is considered the greatest treasure of the Aln people, fit to be read only by those (priest or non-priest) who have cleansed themselves, followed the path of Awtlaw to the letter, and passed a spiritual test of inner strength. But the general gist of the mountain’s words, which became the words of the god Shael, are known by every Tawle, even the Airn, who treat them as honeyed temptations from the mouth of a demon.

What was certain about that day was that it split the Tawle on another line: that of spirituality. The united faith of the Tawle was shattered, as many warriors and their families took to life on the ground to commune with the holy words of Shael, while spiritual elders and the unshaken of the lot, an understandably small minority, treated Shael’s appearance as a gilded lie and continued the lives they had been attached to for so long. Those who took heed of Shael’s words became what is now the nation of the Aln, and those who maintained their faith in the long-established god, the Great Wind,

An opportunity for unity instead led the species into another great, millennium-long war. Only interrupted by short ceasefires and truces between the Aln and Airn, the latter of which had been forced into the equatorial jungles to the north. Whenever the two subspecies managed to reach some sort of common ground, a mishap or diplomatic blunder on either of their parts, combined with the incomparable power of religious hatred, continually kept them in a deadlocked stalemate; one that only broke when a Duro expeditionary team discovered their homeworld. Currently, initial contact between both subspecies is being undertaken by the Republic and the Jedi, the former interested in the vast mineral resources the planet possesses, while the latter sought to utilize the Tu’wale’s rich force tradition as an asset. The Sith have also noticed this planet, however, due to its proximity to the Sith-Republic border, and seek to stake a claim on it.

Indeed, the centuries-old conflict seems only ready to escalate with the addition of new actors and the pressure of a fully-modernized world surrounding them. But only time will tell what happens next.
________________________________________________

Planet: In-Progress: Tawline: A very seismically-active border planet between the Border Worlds and the Sith Brotherhood, it is covered with active and dormant volcanoes, along with desolate, ashen, grey plains devoid of visible life. However, it has small segments of lush fertility, one of which is where the Tawle civilizations are located.

Tawline. Pockets of liveable areas are surrounded by vast areas of volcanic wasteland and ocean.​

________________________________________________

Technology: A lack of experience working with heavy metals, combined with recent outside influence, created a strange conglomeration of technology that is both advanced and primitive at the same time, a combination of both the pre-Industrial and post-Industrial. Ranging from flintlock slugthrowers to exquisitely efficient geothermal energy generators, most technology has stemmed from their homeworld’s natural advantages, or necessity. Both subspecies use similar technology, but it is the dominant Aln who are on the cutting edge of most everything due to the excess manpower they place in R&D.

In terms of energy, power plants located in geologically active sites use the heat generated by the planet itself (of which there is an abundance, due to the sheer amount of geologic and volcanic activity). The Tawle have become extremely adept at utilizing geothermal power, to the point where its efficiency rivals even fully modernized energy sources. Though the Tawle nations are nowhere near fully industrialized, electricity, heat, and power in general has been provided to both subspecies, even in the tribal huts of the Airn. Also, the potential of fossil fuels as a portable fuel source, leading the way to rudimentary sources of locomotion, has recently been discovered by Aln mining operations.

Weaponry, however, is at best passable, and at worst archaic. Having never created great machines of war like some cultures have, Tawle weaponry has currently reached a halt at the discovery of saltpeter and gunpowder. Flintlock rifles, pistols, bows and arrows, and mechanical repeating crossbows are a common armament seen with soldiers of both the Tawle subspecies. The Airn, however, have taken gunpowder to the next level, using it in creating primitive shrapnel grenades, firework-like rockets, and other explosives. Their flying units often carry large, aerodynamic satchels filled with them, using them against buildings and personnel, essentially becoming rudimentary bomber-class aircraft.

Due to the unreliable nature of these unmodernized firearms and explosives, however, combat is often fought at melee range. The massively volcanic nature of the planet allowed for large buildups of obsidian, which was in turn used by both subspecies to forge deadly weapons to fuel their constant skirmishes against each other. Though obsidian wasn’t as strong as metal, its extraordinarily sharp, cutting edge was noted by both Aln and Airn to be incredibly useful. However, any blades larger than that of an arrowhead or a small knife would have to be cumbersomely thick in the center to prevent the integrity of the blade from collapsing. The Aln (and the Airn, through a bit of piracy) began to rectify this problem as they learned the secrets of mining, taking strong metals from within the earth and forging them with obsidian to create light, sharp melee weapons, ranging from swords, to javelins, to small throwing knives and discs. Adding in the slight bit of metal content also made their weapons magnetic, synergizing with the properties of the Tawlian magnephiles to create weapons that homed in on their target. Anything that could be thrown close enough to targets could then hit their marks almost without fail.

While science has advanced in terms of medicine, healing is often left to the Aln priest-caste and the Airn shamans. Their Force traditions have a heavy focus on ritualistic healing, channeling the energy of the earth or air respectively to slowly but surely nurse the sick back to health. The Aln scientist-caste has only recently discovered germ theory, and even now their methods of treatment are used very little, only in the most dire of circumstances.

The Aln’s greatest strength technologically, and a strength lost upon the Airn, is working the earth. Great strides have been made in mining and farming technology. Though not modernized to the extent of the rest of the galaxy, the processes of both have been made quite easy by heavy focus on these areas of engineering.

Architecture for both subspecies is still substandard. The Airn mainly live within thatched huts, unless an Aln building is captured for their use, and the greatest Aln buildings can be compared to Renaissance-era European architecture. A significant marker of the uniqueness of Aln architecture is their liberal use of sharp, thin, pointed spires upon their buildings, used to deter Airn from landing upon the roofs of their most important public centers.
_________________________________________________

Notable PCs: None Yet
_________________________________________________

Intent: First of all, for anyone really freaked out about the fact that this write-up is a bit large, I started this a year ago in my free time. It was only finished now, especially since I left the site temporarily around the time I started this. I plan to have this species hopefully involved in a war of contention for the vast mineral resources that are practically untapped on its planet, as well as with its struggle to meet galactic standards and match up technologically. Essentially, a mission pack for indies, Jedi, the Republic, Sith, whoever wants it. Even in general it’s a fresh, new world with new people and lore, and a treacherous environment to explore to boot, to bring life to the site. It also provides a grounded starting point for people looking to RP as something other than a Human/near-Human species, something different but still relatable enough to enjoy. Finally, I wanted to create an avian species that was both aesthetically pleasing and had a rich culture behind it, as many of the avian species I've seen on Wookieepedia had some history, but not a truly deep development.

 

[Kaane]

Culture
Aln Culture​

Aln National Anthem; Rough Basic Translation​

________________________________________

Overview

Aln culture is characterised mainly by an attitude of individuality and laissez-faire. Their heritage in the Tu’Wale scavenger birds, which normally live life as loners, as well as their history of being outcast by the strict Airn, are probably the main contributing factors to this. Friendships and socialization besides a casual talk or two a day are uncommon. In this sense, their civilization was forged more out of a begrudging alliance between hermits at first, only realizing the potential of numbers later on in their social and genetic evolution. They are also usually taught as soon as they are mentally capable to be self-sufficient and self-centered, usually only working for their immediate good, or at times the good of their family.

The only thing that really binds together this group of disparate and at times greedy avians is the worship of two concepts: the Mighty God Below, Shael, and technology, which culminate in equal power in the almighty Grand Parliament (explained in the Government section). Thanks to this government and the unifying importance of Shael and science, a civilization managed to form despite their natural anti-social tendencies There are a few defining tenets of this system, all of which will be described below.

______________________________________

The Worship of Shael: Awtlaw (The Way of the Earth)

The only accepted religion within Aln society is that of Awtlaw. Though the legislation that currently governs the Aln state is very loosely enforced, Awtlaw provides much of the ethical considerations that the legislation neglects, and it’s expected that every Aln follow the religious law to its letter. Otherwise, the priests of Awtlaw are known to take matters into their own hands.

However, the religion itself isn’t very oppressive in the slightest, and so there are next to no insurgents to complain about it. Essentially, Awtlaw embraces the “earthly reality of life.” It accepts that the Aln are a self-reliant, highly individualized, and at times greedy race, and therefore glorifies it. The ultimate goal of the followers of Awtlaw therefore is to achieve full emotional and practical independence, believing that all that you ever truly need can be found within yourself and in communion with Shael. Though this single tenet might seem to prove disastrous to forming any sort of concentrated religious community or successful civilization, Awtlaw recognizes that to achieve this almost impossible goal, one has to first rely on others, often utilizing the relationship between parents and child to justify congregating in groups to provide emotional support for and aid each other on this epic spiritual quest.

Shael himself (also known as the Mighty God Below or the Fiery Father), relates to this philosophy and gives it a divine meaning. Though some speculate in secret that Shael is fictitious, there are many that fervently believe that Shael long ago appeared to a once-unified Tawle species during an eruption of a massive volcano (the site is now aptly named Mount Shael, and Aln make pilgrimages to the site to offer prayers for spiritual guidance, usually every five years or so). During the Epiphany, as Awtlaw priests have termed this appearance, Shael spoke to the Tawle present about the values of self-reliance, and the bounty that lay within the earth below (most likely referring to precious and strategically important metals of which the planet possesses a vast amount of). In exchange for communing with him and rejecting the “dangers of the sky,” he would provide the Tawle with all they needed. This event also happens to be what ignited the initial spark of the civil war that split the Tawle species into the subspecies Aln and Airn.

Though Shael is depicted as an angry god at times, his temper obvious to the Aln through earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, he is also considered to be kind underneath the hardened exterior. He is, to the Aln, a figure of duality, malevolence and benevolence existing within him in perfect harmony. This duality is positively ingrained in Aln culture. Indeed, speaking to an Aln of the well-known pair Ashla and Bogan as separate entities would result in confusion, as light and darkness are not separate entities to the Aln. They are instead both concepts that are part of one whole, in which a harmony must be attained for the ultimate goal of Awtlaw, true independence, can be achieved.

Though much of Awtlaw isn’t exactly mentally or emotionally strict, there are certain customs that every Aln who worships Shael must follow. If even if a simple custom is broken, it is said it would invite the wrathful side of Shael onto those who commit the spiritual crime, or worse, onto the entire community. Therefore, immediate punishment of these spiritual crimes is necessary in Awtlaw, and such punishment is carried out by the prestigious Priests of Shael. Mainly, the daily customs include praying to Shael and asking for his permission before planting crops, digging mines, removing gems and/or metals from the earth (essentially before doing anything that could disturb his sanctity), and other such activities. However, there are major customs that simply cannot be circumvented under any circumstances. Pilgrimages to certain holy sites, all of which involve extraordinary examples of seismic or volcanic activity, are required at certain milestones in an Aln’s life.

Lake Baliol on a sunny day. The acidic stench here is nearly unbearable, especially during a lengthy Wing-Cutting.
​

Perhaps the most important one is the Wing-Cutting Ceremony that takes place at Lake Baliol, a naturally-formed acidic lake within the proximity of Mount Shael. All Aln, within a week after their 20th birthdays, must allow a priest to cut off their wings at the joint and sacrifice them to the acidic lake, symbolically cementing their relationship with Shael and the earth and separating themselves from their “savage” Airn brethren. The Aln who possess wings after their 20th birthday are sure to be shunned as outcasts.

Any worship, public or private, or even depiction of the Great Wind (the Airn’s deity) is forbidden. Awtlaw rejects there being such a god or her children deities in the first place, and such a grand deviation from the Awtlaw norm is considered a defection back to the “primitive” Airn way of life. A fitting punishment is devised for such heretics; those caught are literally shoved off a cliff, in a sadistic mocking of their lack of the wings they apparently can't live without.

The Cliff of Heresy, where unfortunate Great Wind worshippers (or people who crossed the wrong priest, more often than not), plummet to their deaths. If the Great Wind ever saved one of these Tawle, the priests present for the executions haven’t said anything about it.

As for the priests who enforce these laws, they are considered to be the highest rank of society an Aln can attain, besides perhaps being a renowned scientist. The roles of these priests shall be better explained in the Social Castes section.
__________________________________________

Government

Aln society is a rather intriguing one even without considering their past, where both science and religion are held in equal regard. Due to this deep-rooted belief of the equality of the two normally opposing forces, along with the individualistic and independence seeking nature of the Aln themselves, rule of the Aln state is somewhat complex. Though a bureaucracy exists to extend the main government’s reach, most power is concentrated into a single governing body, the Grand Parliament. The Grand Parliament consists of two houses elected by a general assembly of citizens every 5 years: The House of Atlal (Lava, literally liquid fire, a sacred symbol of Shael), and the House of Aln (Man, in Aln language). However, electoral candidates running for a position in the houses must be nominated from two castes of society (one for each house), those of the priestly and scientific, which are elected to the Houses of Atlal and Aln respectively.

The entrance to the Grand Parliament. The central wing, or the Auditorium, depicted here, is the meeting-place of the Parliament, while the Houses of Aln and Atlal possess wings to the left and right of the Auditorium. Don’t call them wings in their presence though. You’re liable to tick at least one of them off.

Once both Houses have been elected, the Grand Parliament takes it upon itself to elect two leaders with no say from the general public, whom also serve a five year term. The House of Atlal elects a High Priest, and the House of Aln elects a High Analyst. Together, these two leaders comprise the Dual Consulate, representing their respective houses, and serving as the major political speakers of the Grand Parliament in general. Essentially, the main interaction the public has with the Parliament after election are through these men/women. Though the positions are a great honor to possess, as they become the most highly influential people in Aln society, and they both may exercise some executive powers, they still only possess one vote in the Parliament’s decisions. And since the Consulate is only called upon to actually lead in times of great distress, the two leaders end up acting as simple figureheads that work for the good of their respective causes.

While the Dual Consulate is practically useless when it comes to true power being involved, the Grand Parliament is all-powerful in Tawle society, second only to the influences (or the perceived influences) of Shael himself. It is given power both as an institution of the divine and the earthly, the mystical and the rational; though the representatives are elected by the people from each district and individually they have little power, collectively, their verdicts are law and unquestionable. They serve as the entirety of the legislative branch, have the executive branch of the Dual Consulate firmly under their thumb, and even act as the Supreme Court when a legal case cannot be handled by a magistrate. Combine these facts with a lack of a Constitution set out to restrict the Parliament’s actions, and you get a dangerous recipe for an authoritarian oligarchy rather than a republic. And indeed, though it is seen as infallible, corruption has been present practically since its beginning. Representatives can spend quite a few decades in office through re-election, and there have been periods of time where certain seats have become a hereditary commodity rather than a place to be earned by merit. Divinatory clues and “evidence” of Shael’s will are sometimes forged by the House of Atlal in order to push an agenda through Parliament, and similar crimes are committed just as often by the House of Aln. And of course, due to the Tawle’s isolationist and anti-social nature in general, very few Aln actually care about what the Parliament is doing, giving it free reign to do whatever it wishes with its citizens. So far, it has simply made the lives of the individual parliament members easier while occasionally instituting necessary reform. However, its destructive potential is enormous, and if tapped by anyone with vision, could mean the end of life as the Aln know it.
______________________________________

Social Structure

The final major tenet of Aln society is a caste structure. However, unlike other cultures, this caste system is far from rigid, instead being quite loose in how people can move up and down through them. Mostly due to the belief in the independent spirit that exists within all Aln, and their ambitious nature in general, a normal caste system has been abandoned to instead form more of a flexible class structure. The only thing that isn’t flexible about the system is how each class is viewed individually. Here is a simple list from top to bottom, describing the different castes of the Aln, their responsibilities, and how they are viewed in society.

• Parliament Members: These are the true heads of society, and collectively, their word is considered to be the word of both the people they represent, and Shael, all at once. They consist of two major castes, the members of which constitute the non-legislative leadership of the Aln:
• Priests/esses:

A Priest of Awtlaw. Bedecked in ceremonial robes, the runes are actually written Tawlish, and speak a prayer of safety and inner strength. Unless the prayer to be worn is mandated by a special event, such as a wing-cutting, it is entirely up to the priest what s/he wears, a signification of his/her own individuality. This specific priest is also wearing a breathing mask to protect his lungs from volcanic acid and corrosive gases, as he is about to perform a ceremony next to one of his homeworld’s many volcanoes. The censer, as do the censers of most priests, contains a mixture of herbs and cooling molten rock. The combination produces a surprisingly pleasant-smelling haze with slight hints of sulfur that can permeate a small room fairly quickly.

These men and women comprise the spiritual and moral leadership of the Aln, and have sacrificed much of their life to study and become closer to Shael. Essentially, these people are Shael’s messengers and executors to the Aln. Their responsibilities include reading divine “messages” given to them through signs left in volcanic and seismic activity, aiding plebeians on their quest to grow stronger in their faith, and, since the Aln possess no dedicated police force, take it upon themselves to execute the wills of Shael and the Grand Parliament. They are even more well-trained in combat than the professional soldiery of the Aln are, and as such represent an elite force that is capable of nearly anything when the will of the divine backs them. This is mostly due to their Force tradition, rooted in the tenets of Awtlaw concerning the power of the earth and the duality of light and dark, that has been practiced for millennia. However, this requirement of learning this Force tradition means that if an Aln is not Force-sensitive, s/he is irrevocably barred from entering priesthood. However, this is the only rule in terms of admittance, and even force-sensitive religious criminals who have been punished can enter into the ranks of priesthood after rehabilitation.

The Force Tradition of the priest caste is also an important concept to note. Unlike the more indirect methods of the Airn shamen, Aln monks use the Force directly, especially in combat. Utilizing the magnetic fields generated by their magnephiles, they can manipulate the world around them using a form of telekinesis similar to that of a Sith or Jedi. They also place power behind their bare-handed strikes or swipes with their obsidian swords, and augment their agility with Ataru-like acrobatics. Finally, they are quite adept at using Force Lightning due to their in-born electromagnetic affinity from their magnephiles. All of this is powered by an unwavering belief in their own willpower and independence; a burning passion, if you will. It is decidedly Dark, despite the ideology of independence and self-centeredness Awtlaw espouses not quite coming to the extremes of the Sith. Such usage can take a toll on a monk’s body if not counterbalanced with meditation and less overt usages of the Force, such as healing the sick.​

• Scientists: While the priests lead the society spiritually and morally, protecting it with their Force abilities, scientists lead the society into the future by working on inventing and improving upon existing technology, and reverse engineering pieces of technology left by the Rakata (to be explained further in Tawle History) to create more. Though they are perhaps respected somewhat less than the priest caste due to their relative moral and physical frailty, their ability to lead and reason with logic is revered, and due to the ambitious-forward thinking nature of the Tawle in general, the advances they make are considered indispensable. They also take their responsibilities out of the purely scientific and theoretical fields, using their abilities to reason to lead troops as generals, plan cities and infrastructure, teach the young of the Aln in different disciplines, and other important tasks requiring a steady head. However, since Aln technology hasn’t fully caught up to the galaxy yet, their capabilities are held back somewhat. Admittance into the ranks of the scientist caste is based on intellectual merit, and a test that covers mental aptitude must be taken before even beginning to study to become one.

• Miners: While in most cultures mining is considered a job for only the lowliest of slaves, in Aln culture, mining is considered to be a great honor, and one that is greatly rewarded. Other caste members, even priests, will often stop what they’re doing at least once in their lives to partake in it. Since mining brings the Aln so close to the earth they revere, and ever closer to their mentor Shael (who is believed to reside within the planet’s core), the opportunity to do so is sacred. While there are mines owned privately or by the Parliament with full time staffs, In some mines, there are massive waiting lists, on which Aln make reservations months in advance, to allow for them to participate in a mere week of mining. Though it isn’t the most efficient system, it does allow for even the lowest of the low in Aln society to experience divinity and respect.

• Blacksmiths: Once again, because blacksmiths work with materials found from within the earth, their job is extremely important and respected by all. While they are useful in creating weapons of war and great machines using metals, they also create art using metal, and even jewlery by cutting precious gems. This duality of both greatness and subtlety is also revered, and blacksmiths have often been the subject of Aln written art.

• Farmers: They do not get the same respect as the coveted miners and blacksmiths, but their presence is also considered invaluable. Since they work the earth, even though they only do so on its surface, they are considered a step closer to divinity than most of the populace. Plus, their role of providing food is always appreciated.
  
  
• The Middle Class: Collectively, this super-class represents most of the Aln state. From industrial workers, to shop-owners, to artisans, to essentially any middleman that makes his/her living off of the raw materials collected by others, many of the people that make up the Aln civilization belong here.
  

An enterprising Tawle businessman, photograph taken using native technology. He splurged a lot on his suit; this is considered to be the current height of fashion in Aln society.​

• The Soldiery: If you’re not a priest, then being a soldier was considered to be a social step below the norm. While some became part-time soldiers to get a boost to their income, being a full-time soldier was seen as barbaric. Since they spawned from a war-loving past, this sentiment is understandable, but highly dangerous since they have only a very small standing army, often requiring drafts to fill in the spaces during war with the Airn.
  
  

An Aln soldier, bedecked in uniform and armor, carrying a flintlock slugthrower and a trademark Aln obsidian blade​

• Airn Slaves: These slaves are prisoners of war, distributed to the wealthy through auctions, or simply sent straight into public service. While their wings are maintained to separate themselves from the rest of the wingless Aln society, they have been surgically disabled, and therefore are useless to use to escape. These slaves are often used to do menial tasks that are either considered beneath the populace, or extremely life-threatening. While there have been cases of Airn giving up their wings to integrate into Aln society, due to their own religious beliefs, this happens only extremely rarely.

_______________________________________

Airn Culture

A traditional Airn Song of Praise to the Great Wind: ​

Overview

While the Airn possess a very tribal, spirituality-centered culture, they have managed to keep up with their sworn Aln enemies by stealing technology and hiding their villages within high mountain caves and treetop villages. Unlike their individualistic and standoffish kin and their feral ancestors, they have embraced the concept of community in a much deeper sense. They also possess the older, more deeply-rooted culture, possessing a Shinto-esque belief system and an outright rejection of the ground. To even touch it to them makes them temporarily unclean, especially after the division caused by the Schism. As such, they have developed quite differently from their ground-bound brothers and sisters.

___________________________________________

Wooslaw: Way of the Great Wind: History

Wooslaw is a naturalistic religion, similar to Shinto, that believes that the spirit of life is breathed into all things from a single source: the Great Wind, also known simply as The Mother. According to their sacred texts, painstakingly passed down from generation to generation, the Great Wind was once a Tu’Wale bird of cosmic proportions, floating in an endless void, seeking life. When she could find none, she took it upon herself to create it. She sacrificed her body and used her energy to form the universe, corporeal and ethereal, placing the homeworld of the Tawle at the very center. And as the last part of her, her head, was about to be integrated into the new world, she breathed her last and imparted her soul into it. This breath became the Great Wind that lifted the Airn in flight. Whenever a gentle breeze blows, it is said the Mother is softly stroking the corporeal children she created, reminding them of where they came from and the love she possesses for them.

The Wooslaw Creation Story, depicted by an Airn artisan on a tapestry. ​

However, she did not just create a corporeal world. Part of her spirit was split up into many lesser deities, created to govern the individual aspects of the world she was now too weak to protect alone. From water, to the fish that live within it, to the birds that fill the air and the land-dwellers that walk the ground. Even concepts, such as love, happiness, freedom, nostalgia, anger, envy, were all given parts of her soul to refine and induce in their corporeal brethren. However, despite the dangers some of these concepts or things might cause to the Airn, none of them were seen to be evil or good, simply a necessary part of life. All but one.

Shael was the Great Wind’s favorite god-son. To him, she gave the entirety of the earth itself to govern, power beyond the likes of which any of his godly kin would know. But unfortunately she had neglected to realize that she had given this gift to the spirit of ambition that once dwelled within her, a part of a whole. Unchecked by her reasoning and emotion, Shael’s distilled ambition became corrupt with the power he experienced. He used it to cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, in an attempt to subdue the people the Great Wind had created. Such is his power that it takes both the Great Wind and all of her children to keep him locked away within the earth and subdued. For if he should ever break free, it was prophesied that a catastrophe would be wreaked upon the Tawle people.

This prophecy of demise was believed to have been realized by the Schism, or as the Airn call it, the Fall. They see the Aln as an affront to nature and a shameless rejection of the love and goodness the Great Wind once provided them. To this day they still cannot understand their actions. If the Aln see the Airn as barbaric, the Airn see the Aln as monstrosities. And their holy crusade against the Aln, conducted in a vain attempt to get them to reconsider their millennium-old choice and to regain the territory they were forced from, continues to this day.
_____________________________________

Wooslaw: The One Family/Governance Structure

The religion of Wooslaw goes against the natural “loner” mentality of the Tawle, fostering a sense of community and interdependence that Awtlaw simply cannot. Due to the Airn being a minority on the planet, this has become more important than ever. The Airn maintain large family clans, ruled by the eldest female and male jointly, and clans in close proximity band together to join individual tribes, each taking their own patron deity from the many minor gods and goddesses that populate this religion’s crowded pantheon. These patron deities are conduits to praying to the Great Wind, and all inquiries and requests through prayer, save for a special few holidays are relayed through them. The village shaman, or shamen, if there are multiple trained Force users within a village, is the conduit for speaking with these deities, and also serves as a village’s most powerful line of defense. So powerful is the shaman that the chieftain of villages often defer to their guidance, stepping down to let them lead when they deem a task too great for themselves. As for the role of the chieftain itself, it is initially hereditary, passed from chief to oldest son/daughter. But should the eldest son or daughter of a chieftain not be able to fulfill the role well enough, the next son/daughter down that is capable, or the son/daughter of a new clan entirely. Struggles for this sort of influence do occur, though rarely overtly or through any means that cause lasting damage to the tribe.

Uniting the tribes is the Airn Confederacy, an alliance of tribal ambassadors appointed by chieftains and other dignitaries that congregates deep within the Northern Forests, in an undisclosed location. Here they debate on matters of intertribal importance, and relay decisions to the tribes involved using trained messengers. Often these decisions include drafting manpower for raids, requisitioning aid for a struggling tribe, or calling for a confederacy-wide prayer service to the Great Wind, among other things.

The family - tribe - Airn nation structure is quite practical. But it also serves a religious purpose; it is known as the One Family in modern Wooslaw doctrine, and is considered to be a divine instrument for the Airn to reach their ultimate goal, becoming one with the Great Wind to help rebuild her broken body. When the Mother is whole once more, according to Wooslaw, it will bring forth a new, eternal epoch of happiness for all Tawle within her.
__________________________________

Wooslaw: Customs

As has been established, rarely if ever do the Airn pray to the Great Wind, only coming to her in matters of great importance. Instead, they worship and pray to lesser gods in her stead. And the choice of said lesser god often dictates the customs of each family. Indeed, placing a truly, hard set of religious requirements on the Airn is difficult, simply because of how the patron deity variable can change so much for each clan/tribe. But there are a few overarching customs that all followers of Wooslaw practice.

• Unclean Ground: The Airn touch the ground as little as possible. Being in contact with it for too long makes one unclean, tainted by the temptations of Shael, and a cleansing ceremony must take place after a collective hour or so being spent on the ground during one day. This is part of the reason why the Tawle are so fond of treehouses and high mountain homes; the earth is spiritually dangerous to them.
  
  
• Universal Acceptance of Converts: Unlike the Aln, the Airn readily accept converts from Awtlaw into their midst. While these instances are rare, the often-wingless former Aln are still treated as though he were merely a lost member of the Airn Confederacy. Even on a personal level, distaste for these converts are rare, nearly always welcomed. They are even bombarded with prayers that they will regrow their wings in their next lives on a weekly basis. There has even been attempts to forge them prosthetic wings, to allow them to experience flight for the first time. Unfortunately, Airn technology is a bit too lacking to manage such a feat of engineering.
  
  
• The Feast of the Mother: held every year on the summer solstice of Tawline III, the Feast of the Mother is a confederacy-wide event where all tribes engage in an unhindered display of hedonism and ecstasy for an entire night. Moral barriers normally in place are dropped to enjoy the life the Great Wind has given them to the utmost. On the next day, a solemn prayer of thanks and praise is then given, before normal duties are resumed.
  
  
• The Ceremony of First Flight: the first flight an Airn takes is a massive deal for all involved. Entire tribes will gather to watch and cheer on their fledglings as they take to the skies for the first time, usually held two times a year during the spring and fall equinoxes. Those who have experienced it, even by just watching it, call it a deeply moving, spiritual moment for all involved.
  
  
• Crusade: The Airn are bound by duty to fight against the influence of Shael: and after the Schism, they are constantly called upon to be ready to fight his disciples literally as well, in order to smack sense into them and destroy their abominable constructs that go against nature’s will. In addition to performing daily duties, all adolescents and young adults are called upon to train in the art of guerilla warfare. Those who show exceptional promise become elite, full-time warriors or battle shamen, defenders of Wooslaw and the Airn. Children often aspire to become either of these positions, as they are held in high regard.
  

_____________________________________
Wooslaw: Force Tradition

The Force Tradition of the Airn, much like that of the Aln, is highly connected to their religion. Those who are Force-sensitive in their culture are considered to be emissaries of the Great Wind herself. To them, they are born with a bit of her divine spark and power, giving them the supernatural ability to tap into her creative energy, which unknown to them has already been given the name of the Force.

An apprentice Airn Shaman performing a musical rite to close the gap between him and nature.​

Unlike the Force Tradition of the Aln monks, this focuses on harmonizing with nature and communion with the different spirits that inhabit the numerous living and non-living elements of their world. They focus more upon the less-overt aspects of the Force, such as sensing, healing, battle meditation, hexing, and stormcalling. Calling upon the power of the Great Wind is an arduous process due to how their usage of the Force is learned, and telekinesis or warping the planet’s magnetic field is considered to be a power only master-level shamen can obtain.

Even before apprentices, after a current shamen has determined their connection to the Great Wind, learn how to do anything with the Force, they must test themselves by living among the trees of the Northern Forest alone for an entire month. Finally, they come back to their village, where they undergo a spiritual journey by imbibing tea made from an indigenous plant known to cause vivid hallucination in the Tawle species. It is a hallucinogenic so potent that it actually induces coma in those affected, for days at a time. Together, these two trials are meant to bring the apprentice shamen closer to the spirits of nature and the Great Wind.

Only after this two-part journey may these apprentices begin learning the ways of the Force and the deeper customs and meaning of Wooslaw. They will continue indefinitely under the apprenticeship of the shamen until s/he dies and the student must rise to take his/her place of spiritual leadership.

An adept shaman is a powerful sensor, attuned with signals of life and the Force Signatures of every Tawle within his/her village. His/her communion with nature also allows said shaman to utilize its power, by crafting alchemical potions and salves for healing and harming, calling upon the Gods for curses and blessings, channelling the spirits of shamen that have passed on, healing the sick, and utilizing a form of battle meditation to protect any village members currently raiding the Aln nation away from his/her village. They are by no means battle-ready Force users, but they are powerful in their own right.
__________________________________

Social Structure:

• The Great Wind and her Children: Similarly to Shael’s precedence over the Aln culture, the Great Wind and her many deity children, especially patron deities of clans and tribes, are at the top of the system of reverence in Airn culture due to their perceived benevolence and love for them.

• Representatives of Tribes at the Airn Confederacy Council: These representatives are esteemed members of their community, usually the brother or sister of a tribal chieftain or revered shaman, and have trust vested within them to represent the interests of his/her tribe and its patron deities. Their votes and voice in this Council matter considerably, as they have the power to make decisions that could change the entire nation in an instant.
  
  
• Tribal Chieftains and Head Shamen: These two share equal responsibility on different fronts and thus are respected equally by their people. Chieftains of tribes deal with the formation of tribal law and everyday problems that a village might face, while Head Shamen conduct spiritual rites, appease the tribe’s patron deity, and train the future generation of Force Sensitives in their tradition.

• Clan Heads: while these matriarchs and patriarchs are most revered by their own family, their elderly age gives them a position of power and respect within their tribes as a whole as well. They also tend to be the head of all spiritual rites that individual clans perform for their patron deities.
  
  
• Full-time warriors: These crusaders of the Great Wind that have dedicated their full lives to leading raids against the demonic Aln are highly respected within and outside their tribes.
  
  
• Everyone Else: Whether one is a farmer, a builder, an artisan, a messenger, or any other useful job within a society, all Airn are considered equal, even Aln converts that cannot fly. While children are of course taught their place, even they are on some level considered to have just as much potential as any other. Force-sensitive shamen are considered equals as well; simply gifted, more enlightened equals.
  

 

[Bigfatpenn]

Me like. c:

 

[Kiro]

I'm going to ignore the culture and all that for now, and focus on two things.

First, the Intent. Your Intent tells me very little about why you wanted to make the Species as it goes into far more detail regarding your planet instead. Remember that a species may well be approved, while the planet you want them to be from might not. It nearly happened to me and my Edemmians. So eliminate any and all references to your planet in your intent section.

Second, which goes a bit into the first... WHY? I've looked over the core of your species. And I don't see why they need to be their own thing. Rip out the weird, and potentially OP, magnetic sphere in their guts, and they are basically the Fosh and the Rishi species, right down to their skill at imitating/mimicry. So, again, I have to ask WHY this needs to be their own species, when you can create your own culture and background for either the Fosh or the Rishi, now that they are Legends species.

 

[Kaane]

I'm going to ignore the culture and all that for now, and focus on two things.

First, the Intent. Your Intent tells me very little about why you wanted to make the Species as it goes into far more detail regarding your planet instead. Remember that a species may well be approved, while the planet you want them to be from might not. It nearly happened to me and my Edemmians. So eliminate any and all references to your planet in your intent section.

Second, which goes a bit into the first... WHY? I've looked over the core of your species. And I don't see why they need to be their own thing. Rip out the weird, and potentially OP, magnetic sphere in their guts, and they are basically the Fosh and the Rishi species, right down to their skill at imitating/mimicry. So, again, I have to ask WHY this needs to be their own species, when you can create your own culture and background for either the Fosh or the Rishi, now that they are Legends species.

The main reason why? I'll be honest, it was more of a little thing I wanted to finish. It's cringey and sloppy, but I just needed to finish something for once (don't even get me started as to how many half or quarter-finished writing projects and unrealized ideas are currently festering in my drive). I honestly didn't expect them to be good. Just wanted the experience, and also to finally get something done for once, even if it died immediately afterwards.

If you don't mind I'd like to have this deleted. The idea of working with a pre-existing species and making them fuller just seems a bit better than this atm, I think I'll just take that suggestion and see what happens. I knew this wasn't going to be good and I posted it anyway, I apologize for wasting time.

 

[Kiro]