Rak'shari

The Rak'shari are a sapient, rapidly mutating race of lizard-men who make their homes in the lush jungles of Rakshar.

Description
Rak'shari are a large, bipedal reptilian race, standing typically between 2,1 and 2,4 meters tall, although there exist specimen that are even larger due to rampant mutations. Their their mouths are filled with two rows of razor-sharp teeth, befitting their carnivorous nature. They have leathery skin that is covered in protective scales which serve as natural armour. They posses four fingers on both hands with one thumb each, and four toes on both feet with three in the front and one at the back. Rak'shari are cold-blooded.

Rak'shari display an enormous variety of skin tones, ranging from brown or grey to various shades of green, blue, yellow or red and even including purple or orange. Even albinos are known to exist, though they are extremely rare.

Rak'shari also display sexual dimorphism, as females are generally smaller and possess shorter snouts and tails than the males.

Mutations
Rak'shari are prone to mutations and additionally possess the ability to absorb the traits and characteristics of another creature by consuming their flesh and blood. These traits vary heavily and range from sharper claws, thicker scales or more muscle mass to extra limbs, the ability to camouflage themselves or even breath fire. This makes the Rak'shari extremely flexible and capable of responding to almost any challenge thrown at them.

As such, there exist a lot of different types among the Rak'shari, each specialized to optimally fulfill their role in society or the battlefield in the way they choose to, be it beastherders that can communicate with and direct their various beasts of burden and war, swift and nimble scouts and guerilla fighters, ferocious frontline warriors or towering, brutish shock troopers.

However, all of these strengths do not come without their downsides. The process of evolving and mutating puts a great strain on both mind and body of the Rak'shari, making them extremely vulnerable. Furthermore, the older and more evolved a Rak'shari already is, the more blood is needed to fuel their next evolution. A Rak'shari that already mutated and evolved a lot will not be able to evolve as quick or as radically as a young specimen.

Culture
Due to their ability to assume traits of something by merely consuming it's blood, the Rak'shari believe blood to be sacred. It is from the blood of their prey and from their own that their draw their strength to survive and thrive in this hostile world. To spill the blood of a Rak'shari is considered to be the greatest of affronts and is sure to ignite their full wrath. The sacred status of blood also means that Rak'shari despise artificial constructs like golems, who do not have blood, or the undead whose blood has stopped flowing long ago. They consider them to be a crime against nature.

Unsurprisingly the hostile environment of their home continent has led to a "survival of the fittest" mantra for the Rak'shari. The strong survive, the weak die. As such the Rak'shari are constantly hunting and fighting the most dangerous inhabitants of their continent, hoping to increase their strength and versatility by adapting their traits. Being targeted, hunted and then consumed for their traits shows how much the Rak'shari respect and honor the strength of their enemies or prey. By consuming them and taking on their traits, they believe that they will forever live on within them, granting them a great honor.

Rak'shari are naturally hostile and distrustful of any outsiders, as Rakshar has been subject to numerous invasion and colonization attempts by outsiders in the past and present. The Anuran frog people being one of the few races they share a friendly relationship with. They are also known to look down on other races to a certain degree, feeling a sense of superiority resulting from their martial skill, strength and adaptability. Nevertheless, they do greatly respect and honor those who have proven themselves capable, be their friend or foe, Rak'shari or not.

Due to the rampant mutation and constant evolution of their race, the Rak'shari have a great sense of individuality. No two Rak'shari are alike. Each mutation was developed in response to a challenge that Rak'shari faced in his life or attained by consuming an enemy, as such each mutation tells the story of their life and who they are.

Society
The Rak'shari society operates on a caste system paired with a strict hierarchy. The three castes are the Priests, the Warriors and the Workers. To which caste a Rak'shari belongs is determined by his Coming-of-Age ritual. While the caste dictates the role a Rak'shari fulfills in society, the rank and status are defined by a strict hierarchical structure determined by individual might, skill and merit. The more powerful and accomplished a Rak'shari is, the higher in rank they are. To advance in rank and status a Rak'shari may present evolutions and trophies as proof for their accomplishments and skill. For a more direct approach they also may challenge a superior to Ritual Combat. The loser dies and is consumed, while the winner survives and grows stronger. This process is to ensure that the strong rule and the weak are weeded out, making the Rak'shari society as a whole stronger.
 * The Priest caste fulfill the role of priests, scholars, scientists and mages within the society.
 * The Warrior caste are the soldiers, guards and hunters of the Rak'shari.
 * The Worker caste are the merchants, builders, craftsmen and laborers of Rak'shari society.

The highest rank within Rak'shari hierarchy is the Ascendant. As the mightiest and most ferocious of their kind, these Rak'shari are believed to be the closest out of anyone to ascend to godhood. The Ascendant is advised by a council consisting of the highest ranking members and elders of the Rak'shari tribe.

While in theory any Rak'shari may rise in rank and there is nothing forbidding workers to rise through the hierarchy, in practice their non-combatant role means that they are destined to occupy the lowest ranks while the warriors and priesthood dominate the upper parts of the hierarchy.

The Rak'shari are divided into tribes, with each tribe being lead by an Ascendant and holding their own independent territory, hunting grounds and temple cities within Rakshar.

Religion
Rak'shari believe that great deeds in the current life will yield great rewards in the afterlife. It is believed that those who perform extraordinary great deeds in their lives may become demigods, and that they may even ascend to full godhood upon death. As such, much of their pantheon is made up of their greatest heroes and is quite numerous, though with the rise and fall of new heroes it's also subject to constant change, just like the Rak'shari themselves. Within the pantheon, there are only a handful of Gods who have been part of it since time immemorial. These God's deeds in life were legendary, and they evolved and mutated to a point where it is said that they became true monsters in both appearance and might. They are considered to be apex of Rak'shari evolution. The blood of these Gods and heroes is stored deep within the temples dedicated to them, magically preserved throughout the ages so that in times of great need, should a worthy champion present itself, they might call upon the power of the gods and infuse the champion with blood and their might.
 * Soratek, the Winged One - God of the Sky, Wind and Storms.
 * Ax'roqar, The Hungerer - God of Hunger, Blood and Change.
 * Riz'axari, The Burning One - God of Fire, Magic, Light and Destruction.
 * The God of Earth, Resilience, Protection and Life.
 * The God of Battle, War, Fury, Frenzy and Death.
 * The God of the Hunt, Venom, Shadows and Cunning.
 * The God of the Deep Sea, Knowledge and Purity.

The Gods are honored through blood sacrifices, so that they might drink and grow stronger still in the afterlife and keep watching over the Rak'shari.

Customs
Coming of Age Rite:  In this ritual that is taken at a certain age, the Rak'shari needs to proof his worth by venturing into the jungle and proving his strength. Wether they do so by hunting and killing a mighty beast, adapting a rare trait or tame a beast and make it their companion does not matter- it's entirely up to the Rak'shari. A council consisting of a high ranking member of each caste will watch over the ritual and after it's completion judge over the Rak'shari and based on his abilities displayed in the ritual decide what caste and role in society he is best suited for. This however only applies to the Worker and Warrior castes - a Rak'shari with magical capabilities will always become a member of the Priest caste and trained within the temples, though he still has to complete the ritual.

Burial Rites: A deceased Rak'shari will be ritually consumed by his kin so that his spirit and strength may live on inside them. If he was an exceptionally powerful specimen, part of his blood will be taken to be magically preserved and watched over within the temples, so the Rak'shari Priests may call upon his strength and grant a worthy champion his power in times of great need.

Hunting: Hunts are the most fundamental way of Rak'shari acquiring new traits for themselves. All members of Rak'shari society, from the High Priest to the Workers, are expected to regularly participate in hunts. This is to ensure that all members of their society, and therefore the society as a whole will keep growing stronger.

Ritual Wars: The Rak'shari tribes have waged many bloody wars with each other in the past. After a particularly destructive one ravaged the tribes to the point where they had difficulties holding off the local wildlife, the Ascendants and councilors of the tribes agreed on a mutual peace. However, war was still holy to the Rak'shari - a way to honor their gods through offering them the spilled blood and enabling them to fuel their evolution in ways hunting the wildlife would never be able to.

So the practice of the Ritual Wars was born, wars not waged for the sake of destruction, conquest or dominance, but for honoring their gods, training their warriors and even to settle disputes between tribes.

These wars are subject to several strict rules and regulations. For example, only a very limited amount of warriors will participate, all tribes send the same amount of warriors and they all meet up in a prior determined play and start at a determined time. The battleground is prepared long before the war starts with ritualistic enchantments, so as to mark it as a holy site and to ensure that all the blood that is spilled will flow directly towards their gods so that they may feed. Participating in a Ritual War is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed upon a Rak'shari, and dying in one even more so.

Ritual Combat: Duels are a common way of entertainment and a way to settle disputes. Most of the time they're fought until one party yields or is unable to continue the fight, though sometimes it ends in the death of one party. In that special last case, the victor may consume the blood of the fallen to grow stronger. In the case of determining leadership these duels are always to the death, partly to ensure that the victor will be stronger, partly to discourage and not have too many of these attempts.

Duels, Ritual Wars and Burial Rites are conducted and watched over by the Priests, as spilling sacred Rak'shari blood is a serious matter that needs to be strictly monitored. Duels, Burial Rites and Ritual Wars are held in the place of a holy site - in the case of the former two, before or within a temple; in the case of the latter, the battleground becomes a holy site to the Rak'shari.

Children
While being extremely adaptive, Rak'shari children do not inherit the mutations displayed by their parents. Rak'shari eggs are taken to be watched over and cared for in the Broodchambers, giant temple structures that lie in the heart of the temple cities. Caretakers attend the eggs and make sure the conditions of the chambers are optimal for them to develop and hatch. Once hatched, the children will be divided into classes and be raised and taught by the caretakers and elders of the tribe. This is to ensure that the children all start at the same level, with the same chances and advance in life based solely on their own skill and accomplishments instead of those of their parents or other family. Once they have proven themselves in their right of passage, they might re-establish their connection with their parents and family, though for many Rak'shari the youths with whom they were raised and their caretakers and elders become a second family to them as well. These are respectively referred to as Bloodfamily and Broodfamily.

Broodchambers also have chambers dedicated to Rak'shari that are currently undergoing evolution, similarly providing both ideal conditions as well as protection for them during this vulnerable and dangerous process.

Art and Recreation
Rak'shari display an interest for various forms of art. Stone- and bonecarving is very popular, ranging from little trinkets to massive statues or sculptures, or giant stone mosaics. Due to their strong hero cult the Rak'shari have a special liking for theatrical productions and ballads of the lives and stories of their greatest heroes or important historical events. They also are fond of musical instruments, with the Rak'shari preferring various drums, flutes, whistles or rattles.

One-on-one duels are a popular way of entertainment. Additionally the Ritual Wars often also draw in huge crowds, watching the spectacle and cheering for their tribes warriors.

Another popular pasttime among the Rak'shari is a certain ballgame. Two teams ranging from 6 to 9 players play in a court and attempt to get the ball through the ring-shaped goals fixed at the walls. The ball itself has to be kept in perpetual motion, grabbing it is not permitted, but contact with the ball is allowed with head, hands, feet or even tail. Direct physical contact with other players is permitted, but brutal contact with enemy players is met with penalties.

Magic
The Rak'shari priests have mastered blood magic, manipulating the blood of themselves, their allies and even their enemies. They may install an insatiable thirst for blood in their allies, sending them into a wild frenzy, or make them significantly more durable or stronger by altering the characteristics of the blood. Power over this lifeforce is a mighty tool indeed.

A Rak'shari Priest may also add some of his own sacred blood or that of multiple blood-sacrifices before he casts a spell to severely amplify it's power. The more blood or the more powerful the blood he sacrifices, the more his spells are boosted in power.

However, blood magic is much more than that. Due to their mastery over it, the Rak'shari even found a way to combine it with their own unique physiology. If a Rak'shari has evolved the capabilites of breathing fire, being venomous or generate electricity with their own bodies, the priests may call upon the properties of this blood and weave fire, lighting or venom magic from that.

Beasts of War
The lush jungles of Rakshar are native to many strange reptilian beasts that the Rak'shari not only hunt for flesh and blood, but also to capture and tame them. These monsters are as variable as the Rak'shari themselves are: From lizards the size of horses serving as mounts and enabling the Rak'shari to flank and strike fast with ease, over monstrous, horned beasts that trample over enemy warriors, to giant skyterrors that rain death from above, these beasts have proven themselves to be a valuable asset to the Rak'shari warhosts. Covered in ritualistic armour and holy markings, these monsters represent the raw, untamed savagery of the nature of Rakshar, and the Rak'shari deeply respect and revere the power of these beasts