Atherna

The Atherna are a mysterious, intelligent race, dedicated to upkeep of pride and the study of the arcane arts. Unlike the other races, their form is not corporeal, and neither is it incorporeal, balancing dangerously in the center. Once, though, they were a proud, physical race like the rest...

Appearance
The Atherna are unlike all others in Yanor. Trapped for over two centuries within the leylines has altered their appearance and makeup greatly. They appear to be partially translucent, slouching avian folk with long, tapered beaks. Their arms are like wings that have been thinned, their hands simple claws meeting at nearly the end of their two-foot long wings. These wings are mostly useless for flying - not that they'd need to. Their eyes are always black, but have surges or arcane energy flowing through them, and sometimes, during spellcasting, cast a light mist around the user's face.

The Atherna have no need for clothing, their feathers keep them well enough, and because one cannot wear physical clothing when they are half-way in the world, and half-way out. Same goes for armor.

Behavior and Culture
The Atherna base their government around aptitude and skill with magic. Those who know the most of a language, those who can command the elements to them best, those who have delved the deepest in the dangerous neutral magics are chosen as leaders. There is no central government in the Atherna culture, though. Any gathering of Atherna usually becomes less of a governing body, and more of a type of private school, with a Headmaster running the show. Sometimes, multiples of these 'schools' join together to form small nations. Their borders often intersect with and cross the borders of other nations, though, as they don't completely settle in the physical realms - most of their civilization is beyond it.

The Atherna are a rather proud people. Despite going through such unsettling changes, much like the Groy-Hoyt, they still walk in stride, holding to their belief that the event made them better than the other races. They often call the others, 'mere elemental people', despite having an elemental ancestor themselves.

Religion and Traditions
The Atherna worship no gods, but, with their intense study of all of their languages and the ways of the elemental beings, they honor them inadvertently. Never, though, would they bow one of their knees to Doenranak, or any other, as they view themselves on an equal plane as those that created the world.

On traditions, the Atherna don't have many set-in-stone traditions that blanket the whole species. Instead, traditions are usually seen as entry requirements into their 'nations'.

Despite such a non-tradition bound style, there is one thing all Atherna must go through at some point in their existence: the Apozai. At a random time in the life of one of these semi-corporeal, they either become fully physical, or fully integrated into the arcane. This can be somewhat directed, but, more often than not, it is up to the 'will of Doenranak' (so say the lower races). Physical Atherna are usually treated with the same respect as they were before, but are not as easily accommodated, as a good part of their existence is based in a realm now mostly closed to them. Fully-arcane Atherna are praised, though, they usually fade away as they explore a higher plane.

Relations
The Atherna have shut themselves away from all others. During the Shattering, in an attempt to lend a helping hand to the 'lower races', they were shunned, and their help denied. With wounded pride, they simply returned to their homes and continued what they had done before.