Post by Head Moderator on Aug 8, 2013 12:47:46 GMT -5
Note: This is a race created by tesarikone, with nods to other elemental races seen over the years.
The Arkai are creatures of the elements. They are born with an element bound into their very core. This is called their essentia. They are able to control this essentia with practice and instruction, which begins when they are 6 years of age. This is when the elemental seed within their body begins to bud and manifest itself on some spot on their body. It is different for each arkai, and the seed does not mature completely until sometime during their 16th year of life when it becomes known as their node when it has flowered. It is then that an arkai is considered an adult. It is the most important ceremony of their life, and celebrations can extend for weeks sometimes, depending on the wealth of the arkai's parents and their sub-race's traditions. This usually occurs sometime in the Spring, and early Summer. Some Arkai spend their Spring going to numerous celebrations.
Nodes can be of any shape, and it is thought to be the sign of good luck to receive a star shaped node. They are about the size of a normal thumbnail. They can manifest anywhere on one's body and is living crystallized flesh. To have one's node gouged from one's body is the ultimate betrayal of their race, and they no longer may even be considered a part of Arkai race. Their essentia is bound within the node, and they lose all ties to their element leaving them feeling constantly in a state of depression that cannot ever be cured. Touching an Arkai's node is an intimate act akin to a kiss, and it is considered extremely rude and uncouth to touch an arkai's node without their permission. In some sub-races, it can be punished with death.
Arkai Basic Traits
- Immortal
- Immune to attacks based on their essentia
Sub-Races
Ae'ri
Essentia: Air
Node: Diamond, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Citrine, Turquoise, Jasper
Deity: Den'i
The Ae'ri are scholars, and make up the noble classes of the Arkai. They are regal and proud, showing great patience and honor. They enjoy manners and propriety. Ae'ri are very strongly attached to their friends and family, considering friendship and family of great importance. They are honorable in all things, whether they are considered good, neutral or evil. Their noble houses are patriarchal, and believe that the Arkai should remain racially pure. It would be highly unlikely that an Ae'ri would ever marry or bear a child with a member of another race, though both sexes have been known to take lovers of other races in secret. Marriages are usually arranged, and rarely is love involved. Marriages are used to strengthen family lines, and for bearing children to carry on the family name. Many Ae'ri of lower noble classes have become mages, knights, or rangers.
The Ae'ri spend extreme amounts of money to put on the most showy Flowering Ceremony celebration possible. They try to outdo the next, holding elaborate balls that last for days, that may include smaller parties, dances, hunts, tea parties, and games. These celebrations are usually much more elaborate than their weddings. It is a show of finery and wealth unlike anything else in the Arkai race.
Common Traits
Personality: Patient, Proud, Inquisitive, Obstinate, Proper
Essence Traits: Small breeze always blowing around them, tousling their hair and clothing.
Hair Colors: Blondes, Browns, Silver, White
Eye Colors: Blue, Grey, Brown, Pink
Skin Tones: Pale to Medium
Pa'ani
Essentia Water
Node: Sapphire, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Blue Topaz, Carnelian, Aventurine, Amber, Kunzite
Deity: Eises
The Pa'ani are the entertainers and artists of the Arkai. They love to have fun and are cheerful, laid-back and light-hearted to be around. They would much rather enjoy the arts, music, or dance than engage in fighting. Some are gypsies, moving from one place to the next like the tides. They prefer to live near water, whether that be a river, the ocean, lakes, frozen glaciers, or a waterfall in the mountains. They are inclined to be bards, fishermen, sailors, innkeepers, tinkerers or storytellers. The Pa'ani are more matriarchal, and most families consider the elder women to be the wisest and most knowledgeable. They live, work and travel in extended families, and all assist in the training and caring of the children. They are extremely passionate in whatever they engage in, whether work, play, or protecting those they love. They are very superstitious and the most religious of all the sub-races, making them perfect for roles as a cleric.
The Pa'ani hold a celebration for the Flowering Ceremony, which is the only celebration of this kind open for other races to attend. The Pa'ani invite their co-workers, friends, and family for a celebration of food, dancing, drink, and gift-giving. To come to a Flowering Ceremony without a gift for the man or woman it is thrown for, is considered bad luck.
Common Traits
Personality: Passionate, Free spirited, Laid-Back, Light-Hearted
Essentia Trait: Self-Healing
Hair Colors: Blues, Greens, Purples, Brown
Eye Colors: Blue, Green, or Violet
Skin Tones: Pale, sometimes with a blue cast.
Ag'ni
Essentia: Fire
Node: Ruby, Carnelian, Sunstone, Spinel, Rutilated Quartz
Deity: Brejit
The Ag'ni are desert nomads, and are considered some of the best warriors of the Arkai. They are ruled by their passions, and known for their great courage. They fight hard and they play hard, enjoying bacchanalian celebrations around the fires of their desert camps. They love wine, sex and song and both females and males of the Ag'ni learn elaborate dances which are performed after wars and during celebrations. Monogamy is something that the Ag'ni do not find necessary or even desirable, and very few ever settle down with one person for more than a few months at a time. The tribe is their family, and all take a part in caring for the others in the tribe, including the children. The women make meals together, and the tribe eats together. The men train together relentlessly to hone their fighting skills. The children grow up without knowing exactly who their birth mother or father are, as every person in the tribe takes a part in the education and care of every child in the tribe. Any matters that need handled within the tribe are taken care of by the elders, a group of men that act as the leaders of each tribe. In matters that affect more than one tribe, gatherings are held where tribe elders of all involved tribes come together to work out differences or issues. Tribes are usually no more than 50-75 people. Though women have a place in this society, the men are the leaders in all things. Women also show respect to all males, and would never question or raise their voice at a male in public as that is considered disrespectful.
The only women that actually rise to gain respect in the Ag'ni tribes, are those that choose the path of the shaman and pass the trials associated with such an endeavor. The initiation into shamanic studies is rigorous and culminates in a spiritual process by which they are chosen by their god or goddess, to serve them as a shaman. It includes leaving the safety of the tribe and going alone into the desert, fasting, and prayer and meditation for 7 days. Many never return to their tribes, succumbing to the desert itself, and of those that do return only a few are chosen.
In the Ag'ni tribes, the Flowering Ceremony is a massive celebration that lasts for weeks. An Ag'ni male or female will have their first (and possibly many) sexual experiences during their Flowering Ceremony Celebration, as well as their first taste of anything alcoholic. They are considered adults at this time, able to make their own decisions and start helping with the tribal work. Up until this time, they were cared for, now they become the caretakers in whatever capacity they have been trained to do.
Common Traits
Personality: Mischievous, Temperamental, Chaotic, Passionate
Essence Traits: Body temperature is higher than a normal person, warm to the touch.
Hair Colors: Black, Red/Auburn
Eye Colors: Amber, Black, Crimson (Rarely: Gold)
Skin Tones: Tanned, Black
Bu'umi
Essentia: Earth
Node: Emerald, Jade, Peridot, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Smoky Quartz
Deity: Arw'n
The Bu'umi live a more basic, native lifestyle. They live in primitive tribes, and are often considered uncivilized by the other sub-races of Arkai. They make their home in the wildernesses of the worlds they live in, learning to survive in jungles, forests, plains, and every other type of wilderness there is. The men are fierce warriors, and the women often learn druidry as their craft. When any of the other sub-races need their crops blessed, rain to fall, or their animals to be fertile, it is a Bu'umi woman that is called upon for the task. Tribes are quite small, consisting usually of one extended family. They are patriarchal, and the eldest male in the family is in charge of everything that happens in his tribe. Bu'umi are very possessive of everything, including their women and their land. They consider their land to be given to them by the gods, and any that encroach upon it could very well find themselves wishing they hadn't. They decorate themselves with intricate tattoos, and with paint and use bone, metal, feathers, and wood to beautify their bodies. Jewelry is their mark of wealth, the more gold and silver bracelets, or hoops in one's ears, the wealthier they are and respect comes with wealth.
In many of the tribes, the Flowering Ceremony is also a time when a male Bu'umi has a mate given to him, chosen by the elder of the tribe. They are bound for life in the ceremony, and it is extremely rare for them to ever part except by death. Though, the male Bu'umi may take on more wives depending on his wealth, the female will stay with the one male for the rest of her life. Love often develops in these relationships, though, as the elders do take into consideration the wants and desires of the male in question, fitting him often with the "perfect" first wife. The first wife is always the head of the "harem", and the subsequent wives are managed by the first wife. Bu'umi men, though possessive, treat their women extremely well and show them great respect. Touching someone's node without their approval is punishable by death in most of the tribes.
Common Traits
Personality: Stable, Strong, Respectful
Essence Traits: Ability to take an animal form.
Hair Colors: Black, Brown, Auburn
Eye Colors: Green, Hazel, Amber, Brown
Skin Tones: Any
Chay'i
Essentia: Shadow/Void
Node: Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Tiger's Eye, Howlite
Deity: Mar'gn
The Chay'i can be found in every kind of settlement, and live with their immediate families or alone. They are very solitary individuals, and are often misunderstood by the other sub-races of Arkai. They love to learn, and often have large libraries where they study the day, and night away. They are proficient with magics of all kinds, including alchemy. Though some do wander from their homes and become assassins or thieves - using the shadows to move about helps them greatly in these professions. Chay'i can be of any alignment, but most are neutral or evil aligned. They are all very different as far as how they conduct themselves, depending on their alignment and temperament but they usually come across as cold and aloof. They do not show affection very much, especially in public. They are committed to their marriage partner, and there is usually a mutual respect and love, but not something that is seen by the public eye.
A Chay'i Flowering Ceremony is a solemn event held just for immediate family. There are no big parties or big celebrations, merely a family dinner and the bestowal of a family artifact (of any kind, such as a grandfather's spell book or magical item). They awake the next morning, pack their belongings and move out of their parent's house to make their own way in the world with whatever will fit in their bags. Most parents (usually the mother) will make sure they are given a pouch of money to assist them in their endeavors, but the more evil Chay'i might set their child out with only the clothes on their back, and their Flowering Gift.
Common Traits
Personality: Aloof, Stoic, Patient
Essence Traits: Can travel by shadow, moving in and out with ease.
Hair Colors: Black, White, Red
Eye Colors: Black, Brown (Rarely: Blue)
Skin Tones: Pale or Black
Akashi
The Akashi are very rare individuals that develop from two to three of the elements during their Flowering Ceremony. They are revered by all sub-races. Rarely has there ever been more than one Akashi per decade. You must have permission and a GOOD storyline as to how your character becomes an akashi in order to take this sub-race. Their personal traits (hair color, etc) come from whatever sub-race they are born into (their base race) but they are able to control all elements for each node that develops on their body. They usually have a small group of followers from different sub-races that stay with them, taking care of their needs and protecting them from their enemies and often treating them like a celebrity.
It takes an Akashi many years after Flowering to learn to control all of the essentia that has developed in their body. They master one at a time, each taking between 3-7 years to master, though they can dabble in all of the essentia. By the time they are around 35-40 years old, they have usually mastered all essentia. An Akashi never gives birth to another Akashi.
Fertility
Female Arkai are only fertile every six months, beginning around 6 months after their flowering. This lasts 15 days, and during that time, they exude a scent that is unmistakeable to male Arkai, called "nectar". It is a mix of pheromones and their own scent which exudes from the pores, if they sweat it becomes extremely intense. It is a pleasant smell, and piques the interest of any Arkai male around her within smelling distance, but it is not strong enough to force a situation that the male does not wish to partake of, though very wily females are often able to seduce a fairly willing male quite easily. It will, though, cause Arkai males to wish to be in her presence, and make them quite giddy with delight at her presence. Some men in some sub-races have been known to keep their women separated for the entire 15 days!
If the female Arkai conceives during this time, the gestation of an Arkai child is 9 months time. During this time, as well as for 1 year following birth, a woman will not produce nectar and is not fertile. Twins are rare but possible, but multiples more than that just do not happen - at all.
There are no half-blooded Arkai. A child born of an Arkai and a parent of another race, will be either fully an Arkai of the sub-race of the parent, or fully the race of the other parent (with perhaps a little more aptitude for elemental magic).
Death
When an Arkai is killed, if they are not resurrected within 5 days time, their node/s begin to break with spider-like cracks. Each day after 5 days that they are not resurrected, they lose more ability to control that essentia. After 10 days, they may still be resurrected but they hold no power over their element anymore, they are a shell of their former self.
Arkai are immortal beings, but sometimes immortality becomes a hardship when one has lived so very long, and so an Arkai will allow their node to absorb into their body completely disappearing. This is called samad, and it is looked upon not with fear or loathing, but with excitement and joy as samad is a blissful experience wherein an Arkai returns to the element of their essentia. This is a choice and can never be forced.
Religion
The Arkai adapt to wherever they are living very easily, and accept the gods and goddesses of wherever they reside. Though they bring their own gods and goddesses with them, and each sub-race honors one particular god or goddess along with any other they might worship or revere.
All Arkai show reverence to their god or goddess by bringing a flower to the temple when they visit. The type of flower depends on which god or goddess they are coming to worship. Flowers are also important in personal worship, as most Arkai keep a family or home altar to their chosen deity, often outdoors in a flower garden or around potted flowers indoors, or in the case of desert dwellers in a nearby oasis.
Ae'ri - Air
God: D'eni
Flower: Stargazer Lilies
Pa'ani - Water
Goddess: Eises
Flower: Lotus
Ag'ni - Fire
Goddess: Brejit
Flower: Amaryllis
Bu'umi - Earth
God: Arw'n
Flower: Lilac
Chay'i - Shadow
Goddess: Mar'gn
Flower: Rose
The Arkai are creatures of the elements. They are born with an element bound into their very core. This is called their essentia. They are able to control this essentia with practice and instruction, which begins when they are 6 years of age. This is when the elemental seed within their body begins to bud and manifest itself on some spot on their body. It is different for each arkai, and the seed does not mature completely until sometime during their 16th year of life when it becomes known as their node when it has flowered. It is then that an arkai is considered an adult. It is the most important ceremony of their life, and celebrations can extend for weeks sometimes, depending on the wealth of the arkai's parents and their sub-race's traditions. This usually occurs sometime in the Spring, and early Summer. Some Arkai spend their Spring going to numerous celebrations.
Nodes can be of any shape, and it is thought to be the sign of good luck to receive a star shaped node. They are about the size of a normal thumbnail. They can manifest anywhere on one's body and is living crystallized flesh. To have one's node gouged from one's body is the ultimate betrayal of their race, and they no longer may even be considered a part of Arkai race. Their essentia is bound within the node, and they lose all ties to their element leaving them feeling constantly in a state of depression that cannot ever be cured. Touching an Arkai's node is an intimate act akin to a kiss, and it is considered extremely rude and uncouth to touch an arkai's node without their permission. In some sub-races, it can be punished with death.
Arkai Basic Traits
- Immortal
- Immune to attacks based on their essentia
Sub-Races
Ae'ri
Essentia: Air
Node: Diamond, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Citrine, Turquoise, Jasper
Deity: Den'i
The Ae'ri are scholars, and make up the noble classes of the Arkai. They are regal and proud, showing great patience and honor. They enjoy manners and propriety. Ae'ri are very strongly attached to their friends and family, considering friendship and family of great importance. They are honorable in all things, whether they are considered good, neutral or evil. Their noble houses are patriarchal, and believe that the Arkai should remain racially pure. It would be highly unlikely that an Ae'ri would ever marry or bear a child with a member of another race, though both sexes have been known to take lovers of other races in secret. Marriages are usually arranged, and rarely is love involved. Marriages are used to strengthen family lines, and for bearing children to carry on the family name. Many Ae'ri of lower noble classes have become mages, knights, or rangers.
The Ae'ri spend extreme amounts of money to put on the most showy Flowering Ceremony celebration possible. They try to outdo the next, holding elaborate balls that last for days, that may include smaller parties, dances, hunts, tea parties, and games. These celebrations are usually much more elaborate than their weddings. It is a show of finery and wealth unlike anything else in the Arkai race.
Common Traits
Personality: Patient, Proud, Inquisitive, Obstinate, Proper
Essence Traits: Small breeze always blowing around them, tousling their hair and clothing.
Hair Colors: Blondes, Browns, Silver, White
Eye Colors: Blue, Grey, Brown, Pink
Skin Tones: Pale to Medium
Pa'ani
Essentia Water
Node: Sapphire, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Blue Topaz, Carnelian, Aventurine, Amber, Kunzite
Deity: Eises
The Pa'ani are the entertainers and artists of the Arkai. They love to have fun and are cheerful, laid-back and light-hearted to be around. They would much rather enjoy the arts, music, or dance than engage in fighting. Some are gypsies, moving from one place to the next like the tides. They prefer to live near water, whether that be a river, the ocean, lakes, frozen glaciers, or a waterfall in the mountains. They are inclined to be bards, fishermen, sailors, innkeepers, tinkerers or storytellers. The Pa'ani are more matriarchal, and most families consider the elder women to be the wisest and most knowledgeable. They live, work and travel in extended families, and all assist in the training and caring of the children. They are extremely passionate in whatever they engage in, whether work, play, or protecting those they love. They are very superstitious and the most religious of all the sub-races, making them perfect for roles as a cleric.
The Pa'ani hold a celebration for the Flowering Ceremony, which is the only celebration of this kind open for other races to attend. The Pa'ani invite their co-workers, friends, and family for a celebration of food, dancing, drink, and gift-giving. To come to a Flowering Ceremony without a gift for the man or woman it is thrown for, is considered bad luck.
Common Traits
Personality: Passionate, Free spirited, Laid-Back, Light-Hearted
Essentia Trait: Self-Healing
Hair Colors: Blues, Greens, Purples, Brown
Eye Colors: Blue, Green, or Violet
Skin Tones: Pale, sometimes with a blue cast.
Ag'ni
Essentia: Fire
Node: Ruby, Carnelian, Sunstone, Spinel, Rutilated Quartz
Deity: Brejit
The Ag'ni are desert nomads, and are considered some of the best warriors of the Arkai. They are ruled by their passions, and known for their great courage. They fight hard and they play hard, enjoying bacchanalian celebrations around the fires of their desert camps. They love wine, sex and song and both females and males of the Ag'ni learn elaborate dances which are performed after wars and during celebrations. Monogamy is something that the Ag'ni do not find necessary or even desirable, and very few ever settle down with one person for more than a few months at a time. The tribe is their family, and all take a part in caring for the others in the tribe, including the children. The women make meals together, and the tribe eats together. The men train together relentlessly to hone their fighting skills. The children grow up without knowing exactly who their birth mother or father are, as every person in the tribe takes a part in the education and care of every child in the tribe. Any matters that need handled within the tribe are taken care of by the elders, a group of men that act as the leaders of each tribe. In matters that affect more than one tribe, gatherings are held where tribe elders of all involved tribes come together to work out differences or issues. Tribes are usually no more than 50-75 people. Though women have a place in this society, the men are the leaders in all things. Women also show respect to all males, and would never question or raise their voice at a male in public as that is considered disrespectful.
The only women that actually rise to gain respect in the Ag'ni tribes, are those that choose the path of the shaman and pass the trials associated with such an endeavor. The initiation into shamanic studies is rigorous and culminates in a spiritual process by which they are chosen by their god or goddess, to serve them as a shaman. It includes leaving the safety of the tribe and going alone into the desert, fasting, and prayer and meditation for 7 days. Many never return to their tribes, succumbing to the desert itself, and of those that do return only a few are chosen.
In the Ag'ni tribes, the Flowering Ceremony is a massive celebration that lasts for weeks. An Ag'ni male or female will have their first (and possibly many) sexual experiences during their Flowering Ceremony Celebration, as well as their first taste of anything alcoholic. They are considered adults at this time, able to make their own decisions and start helping with the tribal work. Up until this time, they were cared for, now they become the caretakers in whatever capacity they have been trained to do.
Common Traits
Personality: Mischievous, Temperamental, Chaotic, Passionate
Essence Traits: Body temperature is higher than a normal person, warm to the touch.
Hair Colors: Black, Red/Auburn
Eye Colors: Amber, Black, Crimson (Rarely: Gold)
Skin Tones: Tanned, Black
Bu'umi
Essentia: Earth
Node: Emerald, Jade, Peridot, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Smoky Quartz
Deity: Arw'n
The Bu'umi live a more basic, native lifestyle. They live in primitive tribes, and are often considered uncivilized by the other sub-races of Arkai. They make their home in the wildernesses of the worlds they live in, learning to survive in jungles, forests, plains, and every other type of wilderness there is. The men are fierce warriors, and the women often learn druidry as their craft. When any of the other sub-races need their crops blessed, rain to fall, or their animals to be fertile, it is a Bu'umi woman that is called upon for the task. Tribes are quite small, consisting usually of one extended family. They are patriarchal, and the eldest male in the family is in charge of everything that happens in his tribe. Bu'umi are very possessive of everything, including their women and their land. They consider their land to be given to them by the gods, and any that encroach upon it could very well find themselves wishing they hadn't. They decorate themselves with intricate tattoos, and with paint and use bone, metal, feathers, and wood to beautify their bodies. Jewelry is their mark of wealth, the more gold and silver bracelets, or hoops in one's ears, the wealthier they are and respect comes with wealth.
In many of the tribes, the Flowering Ceremony is also a time when a male Bu'umi has a mate given to him, chosen by the elder of the tribe. They are bound for life in the ceremony, and it is extremely rare for them to ever part except by death. Though, the male Bu'umi may take on more wives depending on his wealth, the female will stay with the one male for the rest of her life. Love often develops in these relationships, though, as the elders do take into consideration the wants and desires of the male in question, fitting him often with the "perfect" first wife. The first wife is always the head of the "harem", and the subsequent wives are managed by the first wife. Bu'umi men, though possessive, treat their women extremely well and show them great respect. Touching someone's node without their approval is punishable by death in most of the tribes.
Common Traits
Personality: Stable, Strong, Respectful
Essence Traits: Ability to take an animal form.
Hair Colors: Black, Brown, Auburn
Eye Colors: Green, Hazel, Amber, Brown
Skin Tones: Any
Chay'i
Essentia: Shadow/Void
Node: Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Tiger's Eye, Howlite
Deity: Mar'gn
The Chay'i can be found in every kind of settlement, and live with their immediate families or alone. They are very solitary individuals, and are often misunderstood by the other sub-races of Arkai. They love to learn, and often have large libraries where they study the day, and night away. They are proficient with magics of all kinds, including alchemy. Though some do wander from their homes and become assassins or thieves - using the shadows to move about helps them greatly in these professions. Chay'i can be of any alignment, but most are neutral or evil aligned. They are all very different as far as how they conduct themselves, depending on their alignment and temperament but they usually come across as cold and aloof. They do not show affection very much, especially in public. They are committed to their marriage partner, and there is usually a mutual respect and love, but not something that is seen by the public eye.
A Chay'i Flowering Ceremony is a solemn event held just for immediate family. There are no big parties or big celebrations, merely a family dinner and the bestowal of a family artifact (of any kind, such as a grandfather's spell book or magical item). They awake the next morning, pack their belongings and move out of their parent's house to make their own way in the world with whatever will fit in their bags. Most parents (usually the mother) will make sure they are given a pouch of money to assist them in their endeavors, but the more evil Chay'i might set their child out with only the clothes on their back, and their Flowering Gift.
Common Traits
Personality: Aloof, Stoic, Patient
Essence Traits: Can travel by shadow, moving in and out with ease.
Hair Colors: Black, White, Red
Eye Colors: Black, Brown (Rarely: Blue)
Skin Tones: Pale or Black
Akashi
The Akashi are very rare individuals that develop from two to three of the elements during their Flowering Ceremony. They are revered by all sub-races. Rarely has there ever been more than one Akashi per decade. You must have permission and a GOOD storyline as to how your character becomes an akashi in order to take this sub-race. Their personal traits (hair color, etc) come from whatever sub-race they are born into (their base race) but they are able to control all elements for each node that develops on their body. They usually have a small group of followers from different sub-races that stay with them, taking care of their needs and protecting them from their enemies and often treating them like a celebrity.
It takes an Akashi many years after Flowering to learn to control all of the essentia that has developed in their body. They master one at a time, each taking between 3-7 years to master, though they can dabble in all of the essentia. By the time they are around 35-40 years old, they have usually mastered all essentia. An Akashi never gives birth to another Akashi.
Fertility
Female Arkai are only fertile every six months, beginning around 6 months after their flowering. This lasts 15 days, and during that time, they exude a scent that is unmistakeable to male Arkai, called "nectar". It is a mix of pheromones and their own scent which exudes from the pores, if they sweat it becomes extremely intense. It is a pleasant smell, and piques the interest of any Arkai male around her within smelling distance, but it is not strong enough to force a situation that the male does not wish to partake of, though very wily females are often able to seduce a fairly willing male quite easily. It will, though, cause Arkai males to wish to be in her presence, and make them quite giddy with delight at her presence. Some men in some sub-races have been known to keep their women separated for the entire 15 days!
If the female Arkai conceives during this time, the gestation of an Arkai child is 9 months time. During this time, as well as for 1 year following birth, a woman will not produce nectar and is not fertile. Twins are rare but possible, but multiples more than that just do not happen - at all.
There are no half-blooded Arkai. A child born of an Arkai and a parent of another race, will be either fully an Arkai of the sub-race of the parent, or fully the race of the other parent (with perhaps a little more aptitude for elemental magic).
Death
When an Arkai is killed, if they are not resurrected within 5 days time, their node/s begin to break with spider-like cracks. Each day after 5 days that they are not resurrected, they lose more ability to control that essentia. After 10 days, they may still be resurrected but they hold no power over their element anymore, they are a shell of their former self.
Arkai are immortal beings, but sometimes immortality becomes a hardship when one has lived so very long, and so an Arkai will allow their node to absorb into their body completely disappearing. This is called samad, and it is looked upon not with fear or loathing, but with excitement and joy as samad is a blissful experience wherein an Arkai returns to the element of their essentia. This is a choice and can never be forced.
Religion
The Arkai adapt to wherever they are living very easily, and accept the gods and goddesses of wherever they reside. Though they bring their own gods and goddesses with them, and each sub-race honors one particular god or goddess along with any other they might worship or revere.
All Arkai show reverence to their god or goddess by bringing a flower to the temple when they visit. The type of flower depends on which god or goddess they are coming to worship. Flowers are also important in personal worship, as most Arkai keep a family or home altar to their chosen deity, often outdoors in a flower garden or around potted flowers indoors, or in the case of desert dwellers in a nearby oasis.
Ae'ri - Air
God: D'eni
Flower: Stargazer Lilies
Pa'ani - Water
Goddess: Eises
Flower: Lotus
Ag'ni - Fire
Goddess: Brejit
Flower: Amaryllis
Bu'umi - Earth
God: Arw'n
Flower: Lilac
Chay'i - Shadow
Goddess: Mar'gn
Flower: Rose