🌠 Ashe Anon

Biology

Fun fact: I actually have Verv to thank for the initial inspiration of this, hahaha! This was a thought ventured in regards to the Iris in Romancing SaGa II; as you only ever see Iris ladies, how Wagnas' Heroic form is very feminine and assumed to have fed off of many Irises and just generally having fun whipping up some neat lore in regards to personal stories, we landed on the idea of the Irises possibly being all female - or very, very predominantly female (similar to the Gerudo from Legend of Zelda, in ways!) - and that they are a combo meal of parthenogenetic and/or sequentially hermaphroditic! Drawing a wealth of inspiration from the New Mexico whiptail a.k.a the "lesbian lizards." BUT…! Given that Vaha'i are heavily bird-inspired, more than anything, it is also worth mentioning that there have been accounts of parthenogenesis recorded in birds as well - turkeys, chickens, domestic pigeons, zebra finches and most recently, the California condor!

Their plumage, while normally vivid, grows to be even more so during the ambrosia season. In some species, these colorful displays reach not only the hair, but the skin as well.

Culture

Vibrant in community as they are in color, the Vaha'i are widely recognized as a benevolent race; while otherwise leading more secluded lives among La Nia and other sky isles, migratory patterns can bring them to intermingle with other lifeforms on Lokui and Etrua, which have lent themselves to shaping the Vaha'i socially. Over the centuries, flights for food and shelter expanded beyond the once mandatory, introducing splendid business and travel opportunities in and out of migratory periods to the Vaha'i. In turn, this helped to introduce life from the sky isles to the surface dwelling as well as the seas - and vice versa. Some believe that Vaha'i migratory patterns of yore could have helped pave the way to much of Abylua's interspecies mingling, in fact.

With diets consisting of nectar, fruit and the occasional proteins, farming occupations of all shapes and sizes prove to be a common and rather fruitful introductory trade that many can settle into long term, but the arts - especially musical ones - are also encouraged. Their splendid displays lend themselves to the world of dance, however, often gifted with mystifying vocal ranges and abilities, there is nothing quite like Vaha'ian choral music. A whimsical combination of homonid vocals and birdsong, the dulcet notes of a trained Vaha'i voice make for a rather enchanting spectacle.

Extras

They are actually lighter in weight than many other Abyluan anthropoids, bearing some hollow to their bones similar to birds.

There are aspects to the native Vaha'i tongue that may not actually be physically possible for other races to speak, given the unique nature of their vocals! And given their knack for mimicry, much like some birds, the Vaha'i are quicker to adopt other languages to try to communicate with other races. However, there are learning opportunities available for Vaha'ian throughout Abylua that consider the Vaha'i-only phonetic gaps, meaning there is an iteration of Vaha'ian in which others can speak that the Vaha'i are, modern day, raised to learn along with native Vaha'i and other languages.

As they are among the older generations of nectar-drinking populations of Abylua, they very much recognize the ambrosia season holiday and are also affected by it. It is celebrated strongly within Vaha'i communities, for this reason! 🌺

Little bird inspo Vaha'i mood board.

Angel vampire Sephiroth? Yes. Angel vampire Kuja? Absolutely. Angel vampire Sal? I… well, kinda! (Literally, Ethereals are like energy vampires anyway, I don't know What The Big Deal Is here, hahaha.) Angel vampire Aerith, though, help me. 🫠 -still thinking, don't panic.-

I Cannot handle the visions I had for Them, though, aaa

🌹 🐌 Poring over operatic scores in the works over ?wine? and figs, ivory keys painted by candlelight; inspiration suddenly strikes in the wildest of ways…

By day, the opera calls for a pianist among its orchestra, but another star in the sky of music and theatre. In the shadows, she plays, dove-white layers of chiffon hiding the marks of scarlet-stained lips earned in the night.

The silhouette of wings mistaken for effigy… Secreted ice wines, feathered quills, roses of red and white…

The Phantoms of the Opera house, melodies without author haunting its corridors; in its mystique, fame and fortune is beckoned even so by the siren song of these Angels of Music.

-incoherent rambling under breath- — and Sal and always with her guilt about being what she is and Kuja being all about it and telling her to own it, this notion layered in metaphor with how Sal writes music while willingly hiding behind another author's name.👏 Always 👏 A Star 👏 Refusing 👏 To Shine 👏 — and Kuja always seeing the light peer through the cracks anyway and feeling a need to provoke it and impress it and make it his own, one way or another…!

The Estai'i Festival, also known as the Starfall Festival, is a celebration that formulated around the starfall season on Etrua (outer planetary layer of Abylua.) It is a holiday that is not limited to just a single day, spanning across a single month near the end of the starfall season. Modern day, it is celebrated through the crafting of paper lanterns that are sent back to the stars with estai'i, gifts and letters expressing thanks as well as wishes, hopes, dreams - words than anyone may wish to send out in hopes that they may be seen and considered by something greater within the beyond.

☄️ Starfall & Estai'i Essentially, there is a phenomenon in which special, mostly seasonal meteor showers take place and instead of consisting purely of space debris burning to a crisp in the atmosphere, they are comprised of tiny, glowing crystalline flecks of light, often pointed, no bigger than pebbles (think of them as a combo meal of star sand, gemstones and rocks in shape.) They are like abstract renditions of "falling stars" made real that are able to descend, land and float after landing, to varying degrees. Like magical hail that is harmless with a slice of "like fireflies!" They can be collected and kept in a well lit and/or well energized place (often in bottles and jars - don't add too many, though, again, they can float!) until used or they fade away. But Ashe, how do you collect spooky light crystals? Very carefully with little to no mistakes. (jk jk) With magic, of course! Magic is prominent in Abylua, so "just use magic" is as natural as saying "just use gloves" to any Abyluan, in this context, hahaha.

In Abylua, these little "falling stars" are known as estai'i - a special type of estel (crystal) that is not quite a sentient and animate Estaial (Ethereal equivalent,) but of a similar stellar nature. Some may even theorize they are merely the "stardust" that can come off of a radiant Estaial and thus further speculate they originate from the same place(s) the Estaial do. And while the occasional estai'i may be experienced all throughout the year, they are known for accumulating en masse for only a certain portion, which has fittingly come to be known as the starfall season. ✨ I also love imagining its their rendition of autumn, because fall. ✨ Star + fall. Why not, right? 🍁

🏮 Star Lanterns Because the estai'i, much like the Estaial, originate from the stars, they are interpreted a few different ways in Abyluan folklore. Generally, they are viewed as being "star sent" (a brand of divine, to some,) gifts and signs from the stars and beyond, interpreted as heralding good fortune. Because their most prominent numbers have coincided with fall harvests, this is part of why the latter perspective exists and why many Abyluans have formed the tradition of convening with and giving thanks to the stars and beyond from whence the estai'i came for these interpreted blessings and making use of the estai'i to do so.

Abyluans spend the season gathering up estai'i as it appears for various purposes, the most notable being that which will "return to the stars" - used to create star lanterns in celebration of the festival. As the estai'i naturally float and glow, they can be used to light and send off these lanterns into the skies, so, these lanterns aren't just ordinary lanterns… star lanterns are, in fact, star powered (in a way!) And as a means of communicating with the heavens, letters are often included within these lanterns, secured in a special side pocket often found in an interior wall of a star lantern. Living up to their name in more ways than one as well, the nights in which these lights are sent off, they put on a rather remarkable celestial show of their own. 🌌

Obviously, the main event of this festival consists of collecting estai'i, preparing the star lanterns and letters and returning them to the stars, however, much like any festivity, there are additional things that may be considered beyond the lanterns to celebrate the occasion more fully!

🍉 Food Special dishes and desserts may be offered within households and communities in further celebration. As this coincides with the height of fall harvest bounties, food is plentiful and very much involved in this celebration. While it is not limited to flora harvests, it is because most are flora harvests that most festival cuisine has more of a vegetarian focus.

Fresh sipping flowers, fruits and vegetables may be served along with various spirits (notably fruit wines - yes, star fruit wine is a top pick for many for reasons) juices, teas, breads, pastas, salads, pies and a wide array of largely fruity and floral treats. Floral and sap syrups as well as honeys are also a popular addition to any festive dinner table.

🍍 🍷 🥗 🥧 🌸 🍯

🪇 Entertainment There are also specific forms of music, dance and games that surface during starfall! In particular, forms of traditional music and dance are found to be most prominent among gatherings. (There is a belt of inspiration spanning from Italy all the way to Polynesia in regards to Abyluan traditional dances - specific dances that have so far been listed among said inspiration are: hula, legong, odissi, ballet and tango! Music often has a similar flavor as well, very much intended to pair with the flow of these dances.)

🎉 Caui'lu Just think of these as Abyluan parties that draw some inspiration from Hawaiian luaus. As they do draw inspiration from luaus, they have a tendency to be banquet and entertainment focused (live performance involving music and/or dance, particularly,) but they truly are just parties that take many forms and can be hosted for various occasions - including the Starfall Festival!

Everything here pretty much follows the aforementioned starfall dress code, it's just wrapped in "party" packaging. Much like there are parties for pretty much any occasion, there too are parties for the Starfall Festival. 🎊

Coveted for their bejeweled silk, these creatures eventually reached an endangered status in the wild due to their webs being over farmed and, in some cases, being over hunted for their crystalline features. Nowadays, there are conservation efforts dedicated to restoring their natural presence.

Gem silk, like honey, wax, eggs and other cipeke materials is by no means criminal to harvest - there are still markets that thrive off of gem silk and gem silk products - but with every reserve sanctioned and every act made in the name of preserving these lovely arthropods, there are hopes of educating the masses on resourcing these creatures responsibly and furthering the ideals of balance and coexistence.

Like most cipeke, this spider proves rather sizeable compared to the ones we know on Earth, but is actually considered to be on the smaller side, cipeke-wise, ranging from 40-90 cm in total length (12-30 cm in body) often appearing roughly squirrel or small dog sized (in body.)

They are, like others arachnids, carnivorous, utilizing their precious webs to not only trap prey, but also attract it with its dazzle. Similar to glow worms, angler fish, etc., they often take advantage of their bioluminescence here. Tucking themselves away into tree hollows and other forms of cover, lying in wait, the crystal-like lumps of heavy gem silk concentrations upon their webs appear like light sources in the night, drawing in unsuspecting prey. For domesticated cipeke, this is still often the case, though some may form a bond close enough that allows for them to feed their gem weaver(s) more directly.

As they are technically "estel laden," these creatures are actually capable of utilizing magic associated with their given estel as well. Sometimes! This can be quite rare, given that this is often determined by the size of the estel it bears. If large enough, the estel may retain traces of magic within. This magic can vary greatly.

Note: Various species of animals, plants, etc. that can be found right here on this good green earth, especially from tropical and aquatic regions, can also be found on Abylua as well, but I obviously will not be listing anything that isn't more specific to Abylua and its given universe here. I'm silly, but not that silly!

Fauna (Anthropoid)

🦂 Keoka'u (Keoka'uan) (Largely arthropod based centaur-like) 🦎 Noaka (Noakan) (Anthropomorphic animals broadly labeled, FFIX "Beastkin"-like) 🐦 Vaha'i (Vaha'ian) (Harpy + Romancing SaGa II "Iris"-like) 🐍 Henaks (Henaksi) (Naga-like) 🧚‍♀️ Fana (Fanan) (Fairy/Fae-like) 🧜‍♀️ Siros (Sirosian) (Merfolk-like) ✨ Sifau (Sifauan) ("Merfae" merfolk + fae-like) ⋆ Iolen (Iolenian)

(Non-anthropoid)

🐢 Marunau (Titanic "shell can pass for an island itself sometimes" sea turtles) 🐲 Dro Meaku (Dragons, wyverns, serpents and wyrms of all shapes and sizes) 🐋 Bana Koha (Sky + sea faring cetaceans, also of all shapes and sizes, often domesticated) 🐞 Cipeke (Big pet-sized bugs, also often domesticated) ⋆ Gem Weaver 🐈 Popahi ("Firefly cats" basically, also x2 often domesticated)

Flora

🌳 Vilau (FFIX "Iifa Tree"-like, also consisting of watered down subspecies)

Attributes (Affects both fauna and flora)

🦄 Anika'a (FFVII "Ancient" and FFIX "Summoner" equivalent, only able to affect all species, known by the unicorn-like horn it can sometimes manifest and special abilities to communicate with and call upon aspects of the Vistel) 😈 Daorokou (Demon-like, recognized for special horn structures and affinity for dark magic) 🧛‍♂️ Saokou (Vampire-like, known for its unique fangs, blood needs and sensitivity to sunlight as well as magical prowess, seen as a cousin attribute to the Daorokou) 🌠 Estaial (Ethereal-like, also known as "star sent," recognized for their unique tentacle structures as well as their staia affinities - star-like and spectral powers) 👼 Amaial (Angel-like, known particularly by halo-like features and affinity for light magic, seen as a cousin attribute to the Estaial) 🌀 Huin (Umbrella term for entities that may host multiple attributes of any kind, though not all attributes can be layered)

Features (Universal, not strictly Abyluan)

💎 Vistaia (The primordial crystal from which all life originates in this universe) 🔷 Vistel ("Seeds" originally from the Vistaia, able to grow life, formulating planets and moons) 🔹 Estel ("Seeds" from the Vistel, hosting vestiges of the Vistel that can contain various forms of elemental magic and more) 🔶 Staia (The stars, many of which are theorized to be of a primordial nature and earliest known seeds directly from the Vistaia itself) 🔸 Estai'i (Very fine celestial crystals resulting from "starfalls," particularly during the starfall season, sometimes additionally interpreted as "stardust" from the "star sent") ⋆ Estai'i Festival / Starfall Festival

Nauca and Tenua

Before Abylua, there was a planet known as Nauca; a planet not unlike the Earth we know, orbited by a single satellite, if that. A much simpler product of its universe, lacking the iconic planetary layers of Abylua. Though, like all heavenly bodies of this respective corner of the cosmos, it was birthed from a seed - a Vistel - of the great Vistaia - a primordial crystal from which all life originates.

Occupied by a wealth of creatures, among them being anthropoid species we may personally recognize from mythos as fae, merfolk and many crosses in between, Nauca's seas and shores were already sculpted by our interpretations of fantasy. And it was not the only one of its kind...

A nomadic, invasive planet, comprised of once sprawling flora and myriad cultures assimilated over eons into itself now lay barren and on the cusp of death. Guided by its remaining sentient branches (literally,) it would seek out new prey to fill its dwindling stomach. Through the eyes of Naucan kind, this planet came to be known as Tenua - or "The World Eater."

And many, many millenia ago, despite Tenua's devastating impact, its attempts to absorb Nauca all but paled in comparison to the actual one.

The Calamity

Through the seemingly endless and parasitic roots of the Vilau - a great tree that knowledgeable Tenuans could treat as conduits of energy - there was hope yet of new life to be taken into Tenua's failing Vistel, stolen away from Nauca's, still young and sprightly. Nauca was not without its defenses, however. Among such defenses were a collective of Estaial, the "star sent," whose celestial power cloaked in mystery and reverence may possibly liberate the planet from such terror.

The power of one Estaial alone would be enough to change the course of fate. For it was more than enough; it was too much.

In the end, it would be this one Estaial that would bring an end to both Nauca and Tenua - by accident - as the true gravity (also literally) of his strength escaped even him. The planets collided. Nearly nothing remained of either within the aftermath... but only nearly. As truly as something may remain, life would find a way.

"Life, uh, finds a way," as they say. Yes, say it Jeff Goldblum style, it's better that way!

And that way, in a rather distant future, would lead to Abylua.