Komorae
"There is much knowledge the komorae could give the young races. Almost as much as has been lost to the ages, but such knowledge is no gift. It is a curse. Knowledge is power, yes, but no power comes without cost. The young yearn for knowledge because they think they know its price, that it is like every other sort of power. For every meal, the life of a beast; for every step, a flower crushed underfoot; for every night of warmth, the felling of a tree. They think the cost of knowledge is like that, that it falls upon others. They think the komorae cruel, hoarding our knowledge, allowing the price to be payed by their ignorance. Nothing could be further from the truth. The price of knowledge can be payed only by the knower. The komorae must serve as the mountain-wall which saps the storm's wrath before it reaches the plains, the candle burning down to keep the dark of night at bay. The gift is ignorance, safety from the horrors of the past. Let us bear the curse of knowledge alone, one last noble act before the day comes when the last komora dies, and the secret is buried. Take the gift we offer; we give it freely. Take it, and be happy."
Komora (pl: komorae, adj.: komorae)
Beliefs: dead creator gods, cultural atonement,
The Komorae hold that the goddess Ko, (aspects: creation, harmony, guidance) created the realm, then invited her sibling-gods into it to add their own creations to it. Odri (aspects: craftsmanship, stone, binding) created the dwarves, Vada (aspects: cunning, sky, solitude) the beasts and birds, Emmar (aspects: valor, water, war) the race of man, Tiat (aspects: strength, fire, destruction) dragons and monsters, and Gul (aspects: wisdom, nature, wilderness) created plant life. Ko married Gul, enriching his plants with her own power, and together they created the first tree, thereafter a symbol of matrimony and home. Tiat’s creation of the dragon’s threatens Ko’s realm, and as she flees the wrath of her siblings, she creates all other monsters. Ko remains in her realm to protect it from Dragon, Tiat’s first creation, and the komorae, at first with the goddess’ consent, but ever more recklessly, begin to draw upon her life-essence. When the gods return to the realm, exhausted from fighting Tiat’s other creations and empty-handed, to put a stop to this, the komorae turn on them with the power of their eldest sister and slay them. Tiat, grieved at being the last of the gods, rips herself to pieces in order to fit through the bars of the cage the komorae have fashioned for Dragon, whom she has been hiding within.
Komorae believe that the monstrosities that roam the land are creations of Tiat, scattered across the nether realms during their “golden age” now called “The Hunting Age,” brought forth by her death cries in the final moments. Since their gods are dead, komorae do not believe in an afterlife; instead, they think that, in a final act of mercy, Ko bound the komorae spirits to wander the world of dreams until they could be reborn in the flesh. In a final act of vengeance, however, Tiat cursed the dreams of komorae to forever display the horror of their past.
Biology: extremely long-lived, gangly, two opposable digits, excellent climbers, yellow or orange skin tones.
Komorae are humanoids with long-boned forelimbs and several more vertebrae than humans, making them exceptionally tall. Their pinkies are opposable. Their skin tones span a paler spectrum than most humans, and often display a yellow or Orange tint. Young Komorae, being shorter in stature, look very similar to human beings.
Values: honor, duty —Pilgrim: penance, remembrance —High: hospitality, isolation
Mating and family: apprehension around birthing new children, long gestation period, marry for life.
Language: ancient religious tongue which is still occasionally used, but has morphed slowly into two major dialects with slight tribal differences.
Customs/games: —Pilgrim: old religious observations performed in remembrance, rather than true worship; constant patrols of old ruins; composition of dedicative music and art; physical competitions. —High: meditation, crafting,
Government and law: spiritual advisors in charge of administering penance, serious transgressions punished by exile.
Technology/magic: some knowledge of ancient, well-researched building and crafting techniques. Impressive knowledge of magical arts, which are conservatively applied. Universal minor proficiency in dream walking.
Komorae are all proficient dream-walkers, being trained from a young age to seek out and inhabit the dreams of other creatures in order to take respite from their nightmares. This skill requires several years to master, however, and because of this, most komorae are hesitant to bear children. Some humans believe komorae hold trees to be sacred, and will seek out and steal the dreams of humans who use tools fashioned from the wood of a Komoran forest.
Art/clothing: —Pilgrim: beautifully crafted wooden tools; long, braided hair; wooden masks; and tight-fitting, sparse, mostly plant-based clothing. —High: masterful pottery and tile work with colorful enamel; short-cut hair; veils; and long, concealing robes of wool or fur.
Most Pilgrim Komorae wear wooden masks when interacting with members of other races as a symbolic representation of their shame, though they do not take any special care to hide the rest of their bodies, especially their hair, which they wear long and pleated into complex knots. High Komorae more often eschew the practice of covering their faces, in keeping with their hope of eventual redemption, but those who ascribe to such penance wear cloth veils and heavy robes to hide their flesh. High Komorae usually favor shorter, more practical haircuts, and komorae Spirit-Guides shave their heads, regardless of gender.
