Grammar:	Language:	English/Keid
There is a Keid.	Type:	Human
There are the Keid.	Habitat:	Jindiara
A Keiden blade.	Size:	Average

Archers of the Wind

If there is one thing the Keid are known for, it is their superior archery skills. Though they've had near no contact with humans, the Keid are capable of speaking in both their own language and common English. They are led by the Odanon, Buroba.

History

In 4922BH, Buroba was born from He, a spirit of the earth. Buroba is also an elemental spirit, and Buroba was thus associated with wind. However, it wasn't even a year before Buroba began to take a disliking to the commands of his superiors. Of course, He and the others tried to persuade him, but he saw fit to break from their chain of command. Many say it is because Buroba is stubborn, and if his way isn't right, then there is no right way at all. Others say it's because Buroba didn't believe in harming others without reason, which is highly unusual for an Odanon. He fled to an island called Jindiara -- a long stretch of humid jungle and cold mountains. In the jungles, by a great lake, he made people in the likeness of himself. These people were called the Keid.

For many years, Buroba taught his people simply to live and survive. That was the extent of Buroba's wishes, as he was truly a simple-minded Odanon. He believed in naught more than living and wanted only for his people to keep to themselves. This went well until Gorenku gave birth to Gehmakemn, who then created her own race known as Fanorans. These mountain-dwelling cat-people had only one goal, and that was to torment Buroba and kill the Keid for turning on Garukavar and The Enemy. The first attacks by the Fanoran assassins were catastrophic and horrid. Even Buroba does not dare try to recall what had happened. After much turmoil, the Keid gathered from all the villages and erected a stone fortress called Daarbang on the edge of the jungle and the pine forest that led to the mountains. This fortress was designed to allow the Keid to spot any approaching Fanoran and to stop them before they reached the jungle. Daarbang was a huge success for a long time.

Mother Gehmakemn despised this fortress, and so she sent one of her six infamous sons in to assassinate the fortress's commander in hopes that it would force the Keid to abandon the mighty structure. This son was known as Meheral, and he succeeded in murdering Daarbang's commander, though he was shot through the neck afterwards, thus dying painfully. Though this infuriated Gehmakemn, she was overall pleased that the Keid indeed ran from the fortress, thinking it was too close to the mountains to give them enough time to prepare. There were also powerful rumours that Meheral's ghost haunts the ruins, looking for Keid to unleash vengeance on. Buroba sees no point in quenching this rumour, as he no longer saw a point to take back Daarbang. The Fanorans attacked less often (mostly due to Gehmakemn fearing for the lives of her numerous sons) and less Keid were killed as a consequence.

Though both races still despise one another to the core, they have now come to a sort of semi-idle status. Neither race of people wishes to resurrect the bloody battles of the past. Humans land on Jindiara very rarely, and when they do, they can almost never find the Keid. One group of people once encountered the Keid, which is how they are known of, but the humans were so disorganised and uncaring that not much information was gathered or kept.

Appearance and Nature

Keid appear human at first glance, but they are athletic and strong by nature. As they prefer archery over any other form of combat, one would assume they would be a slender race, but they often grow to be burly. Buroba himself is a muscular man, after all. Keid wear their hair long and the females often tie it back or tie it up into something like a ponytail. Clothing is kept very basic: animal belts, loincloths, armbands, sometimes leather boots and gloves, skirts, and similar things. They also wear feathers in their hair, tucked into their headbands. A Keid gains one feather for being born, and another feather every five years after. Buroba has a massive headdress bearing an innumerable amount of multicoloured feathers. The feathers are tail feathers of the koatl bird. The average Keid lives for two hundred years -- double the average human.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about the Keid is their bows, distinct because of their greenish wood and elaborate and tribal design. Any arrow shot from a Keiden bow is controlled by the archer. Once shot, the archer need only raise his or her hand and the arrow will head skyward. The same applies to any other direction. The arrows cannot be stopped or slowed, save by experienced wind mages. Because arrows are so fast, using a Keiden bow takes lots of skill, good eyes, and good reflexes. It is believed a Paladin currently wields one, and there are two or three roaming elsewhere in the human world.

Another skill Keid possess is the ability to make their lungs superfluous. That is, to breathe without physically breathing, merely by absorbing the air around them via magical aid and wind magic. Buroba has mastered this long ago to the point that he doesn't breathe. Given enough years of practice, a Keid can stop using his or her lungs. This is greatly efficient for excessive physical activity, where loss of breath becomes a hinderance, and also for diving underwater. It also helps when aiming a bow, where the movement of the body breathing can throw off the aim slightly. As far as can be told, humans are incapable of using wind magic to this extent.

Keid "families" are unusual in that they are nonexistent. Though they make no effort to forget who their parents and siblings are, mature Keid partner with anyone they get along well with, and Keid children live whoever they like best. Of course, this method doesn't go without disputes and disagreements, but Keid find the conventional family idea far too limiting and believe it cannot bring happiness. Sometimes, a Keid can have multiple partners at once. Just as often can a house contain only children and no adults. Though the family idea is weak, the community idea is strong. Homes never hesitate to aid one another with anything their neighbours need as they all have one common enemy and must stay united.

Lifestyle

There is quite an even distribution of the population between the villages and cities. The largest of the cities is Shuptalxia, which also houses the temple, Genxren. Most of the villages are as simple as a collection of thatch homes that do what they have to do to survive. A single family living alone is quite unheard of in the jungle. A village would also contain around half a dozen "families". A village becomes a town once it has one or more stone buildings, which are usually two-storied and have a large balcony and/or courtyard. These buildings are used as a barracks, a safe house for valuables, and a place of worship or celebration. Though Keiden masonry is low key, their stone structures are as sturdy and square as those of the other races. Aside from Shuptalxia, Pzentelka and Emuxutalfa are considered Keid cities, due to the large number of stone buildings, high population, and multi-levelled city design. All Keid areas are surrounded by platforms high in the trees where there are sentries keeping a constant eye on the forest.

Keid build their cities in multiple levels. The lower level is built around what's there -- giant tree roots and stumps, creeks and rivers, and hills or holes in the earth. These are the main factors that determine the shape of the city, and the streets (which are really just dirt paths) weave around down here. Around the supports for the higher levels, the Keid do their everyday activities. There is a place to buy almost anything that one can need in the jungle, and this is where many of the adults work in whatever shelters and cook-houses there are. Children often play in the remote paths between buildings or towards the outskirts of the city, where they can be closer to the dangerous jungle. Above the ground level are the dwellings, connected by wooden walkways. Most of the dwellings have the main entrance on the upper level, but some have a back door that leads to the ground level. The top level of the largest of the stone buildings of any city is always where the elders and wisemen and women reside. Often, they will spent a day in silent prayer, but they may be required to go out into the city and lend a hand where it is needed.

Sometimes, a group of Keid will pick up their instruments and play music or sing for the people there, as Keid generally enjoy uplifting one another's spirits. The instruments vary between a string instrument in a bowl, a powerful yet small wind instrument, and large drums. Their music is complex in beats and rhythm, and singing is usually strong chords of extended notes, varying slightly now and then. On top of this, most Keid families specialise in making something for the city, be it a chair, a certain spice, a type of arrow, or an entire house. Because it is such a resourceful community, if somebody requires a home to be built, many people will pitch in, and the one who needed it built will give whatever he or she has as a sort of trade. Keid are very active people, though, and to be given the opportunity to build a home is exciting and practically a reward in itself. Because of this, the Keid do not use money. If there is a disagreement as to what something is worth, the elders are consulted.