[u][center]_______[b]Jura[/b]_______[/center][/u] [center][img]http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh589/vincespera/Map_zpscxvdarze.png[/img][/center] [center]___________________________________________________________________________________________________[/center] [hider=Places of Importance] [u][b][center]Places of Importance[/center][/b][/u] • [b]Mt. Jura[/b] – Labeled (1) – Elevation of 26,896’: The birthplace of the Jura Dynasty and capitol of the Osai or Osairan lizard folk, Mt. Jura is directly in the center of the Osai territory. It is here that the land of Jura can all be seen, especially the Scutes Mountain range or “Jura’s Crown.” • [b]Scutes Mountains or Jura’s Crown[/b] – Labeled 2-4 – Mt. Baazaleth (26,125’), Mt. Ohm (28,421’), and Mt. Nyrei (27,021’): Each mountain is named after the five horned dragons of Osai lore, this mountain range divides Osai territory and whatever lies East of the mountains. These mountains are used as strongholds for keeping the “unwanted” out. • [b]Basilisk River North & South[/b] – The North river runs from Mt. Baazaleth and down in between Mt. Jura and Jura’s Crown, entering the bay. The South river runs from Mt. Nyrei and down into a bay on the other side of the land.[/hider] [hider=Origin] [center][u][b]Origin[/b][/u][/center] [center][i]Jura “The Great Horned Dragon” Osairan[/i][/center] [justify]The Osai are a proud race that believe themselves to be the descendants of the Great Horned Dragon, Jura. Jura is described as a winged god of Earth, Sky, and Fire. It is said his breath baring the ability of fire carved the earth, his wings baring the ability to control wind, moved the earth, and his strength contained the ability to force the earth to rise. Dwelling on one of the highest peaks in the region, it is here the Osai call home. Osai believe Jura was birthed from the earth itself, clawing his way from the very center of it and built the world with his powers, granted by the earth. Jura has a large black, red and green horn that protrudes from the center of his skull, the Great Horn it is called, said to hold the power of the Earth’s core and Jura combined.[/justify][/hider] [hider=Culture/Background] [center][u][b]Culture[/b][/u][/center] Osai are a race of hunters and survivalists who reside in the mountains located at the center of the known map. They are excellent climbers, resourceful, and agile in nature. Osai see themselves as a superior race to others that walk the world they exist in. Believing they are the descendants of a great dragon who carved the world as it is today, they are proud, and carry such pride with them until death. Osai rarely run from confrontation, but do try to keep a sort of calm about them when in conflict with another. Their attire is of the bare minimum as their bodies are cold blooded. They need their body to be exposed to the climate in order to stay warm, and cool down. They will wear protective hides in important areas as to protect them from attacks. Thin clothes are displayed over their shoulders, in between their thighs, and other preferred areas as to display their lineage, experiences, and identification among other Osai. The Osai build homes inside of the mountain through their superior digging abilities. Using the claws provided to them by the great dragon, Jura, they have constructed infrastructures throughout their land using various methods in creating caves, or modifying pre-existing ones. There are some groups of Osai who are nomadic and choose to build temporary nests, these nests are easy to build, or break down, methods used from days of the old ways. However, mountains themselves are claimed by the family that possesses the Crest of the Osai. This crest was given to those who fought alongside Vasu Caleesion during his expansion campaign to become Overlord of the Osai race. Those who possess this crest are the ruler of their mountain and can only be surpassed by natural death or death in battle. If natural death does occur, then the oldest daughter or son is in line to succeed as the bloodline has shown loyalty to the Overlord. Two days are allowed for mourning, but the third day is for challenges, a challenger from another bloodline among the Shedani or Huventi may step up to fight the kin who is next in line. If the challenger succeeds and is Huventi, then they carry their bloodline to the Shedani caste. If a bloodline is Shedani and loses the hold over the crest, then they still remain Shedani but without any power over other Shedani. Shedani males will often join in hunts, and combat if they are not of the ruling Shedani bloodline. [center][u][b]Caste System[/b][/u][/center] Shedani (Sheh-don-e) - Those who are of the Crested bloodline and rule the mountain they reside in and on. Nazrei (Nah-z-rye) - Healers, Shaman, these are the bloodlines given the duty to preserve life among the Osai. Huventi (Huh-vent-e) - The Hunter and Warrior bloodlines designated by the Shedani of the mountain they reside on and within. Masi (Mah-si) - Builders, Crafters, Makers, and Gatherers, who have been given the job by the Shedani to improve infrastructure, fortify, collect material, and build tools. Fallessi - Commoners, Servants, the bloodlines who were fractured by Vasu Caleesion, their duty is to serve the other castes,honor them, and respect them, no mater what. [center][u][b]Background[/b][/u][/center] Osairan were once completely nomadic, only travelling in small family groups, a family consisted of 1 male and 2-3 females. Most groups consisted of 2-3 males, and 4-9 females. A female could birth 3-6 offspring, and when of age, males and females would leave the protection of their families in search of starting their own. Males and females were quite equal in that females were not submissive, a male would not only be challenged with fighting other males, but also had to fight for the approval of the females. This means that females regularly fight males and whoever wins, wins their approval, if the male is unsuccessful, it usually means the female has killed them. During this stage in their history, there were no leaders, no direction, just survive, hunt, and preserve the species based on instinct. Over time there would be successful bloodlines where their reach extended farther than others. This began family territories and claimed hunting grounds, the beginning of primitive boundary setting that would begin conflict everywhere on the mountain. Families fighting other families over the rights to hunting as the mountains became smaller due to the population growth of the Osai. Pacts were made between bloodlines that forged even greater hunting claims, and those who could not survive the expansion, died off. One mountain could house a large number of families, and those families would make pacts, and reign. Each mountain had one or two significant bloodlines with great history and merit to secure it as the alpha among others when making decisions, but even though pacts existed, it did not completely stop feuds, and chances of families being overthrown by the other families were real. Invading families were also to be considered, but it wasn't until Vasu Caleesion that there would be any sort of concrete structure within the Osai society. Vasu would emerge from Mt. Jura and begin his invasion to the East. It was here that Vasu and the families that followed the Caleesion bloodline would overthrow a number of other bloodlines and have them killed or surrender. Vasu Caleesion would then install a family from his original pact to take rule over a mountain they had captured, Vasu would then hand over a crest for the bearer to wear around his/her neck. It was a circular piece of flint mined from Mt. Jura and engraved by Vasu Caleesion himself with a crest depicting an Osairan tail wrapped around a spear. These crests installed the first Shedani generation, and generation of independent rulers who only would answer to their Overlord Vasu Caleesion, without his vision, this future would never have been possible. Vasu would persuade other families to follow him to the South and West of Mt. Jura and secure more mountains where he expanded his power and installed his rule through the Shedani caste that he constructed. Vasu created a caste system by granting bloodlines who followed him certain names based on their contributions to the expansion. Thus birthed the Nazrei, Huventi, and Masi ranks, it gave those who followed him a place in his overall vision and maintained loyalty. The last caste to have been created was the Fallessi, any and all those who were apart of the bloodlines that fought back against Vasu Caleesion. Some Osai were opposed to Vasu Caleesion's vision, others embraced it, some sought after it, but anyone who opposed it, found their entire family at the bottom of the ever expanding claim Vasu now has. [/hider] [center][b]Osai[/b] - Lizard Folk of Jura and the Jura Dynasty. 6' to 7' in height and weigh approx. 160lbs to 190lbs (males), and 120lbs to 150lbs (females).[/center] [hider=Osai][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL-nW0JCNS4/VHB19Edf2BI/AAAAAAAABR0/L7N7tYggh14/s1600/Lizard_man_by_koutanagamori.jpg[/img][/hider] [center][b]Krek[/b] - 4' long and 6' in height when on hind legs, this lizard has been tamed, and domesticated, their job is to support the Osai population in hunting, also used in Jura Dynasty operations as support units. 60 to 90lbs (males) and 70lbs to 100lbs (females).[/center] [hider=Krek][img]http://img01.deviantart.net/f37c/i/2009/226/5/3/lizard_by_cheesefreeak.jpg[/img][/hider]