Skyfall

Short Essay on Avatar Life

Feel free to skip this part - its background information, but the story is comprehensible without this.

Long, long ago, eight beings came to Earth. We would call them aliens today, but then they were just visitors. They saw the ferocity of the current inhabitants - ape-like beings walking upright, too small-minded to have created language and art - and chose to change what they saw. Seven of the beings, called Makers, created a different 'race' on their own, by their design. This is the story of Kiemo, the Maker, and her use of her Avatars to her own ends.

The Avatars were created after Medem (the lead Maker) formed the flora and fauna of the world as she saw fit. Kiemo decided to create four subspecies for her race, and modeled each one after an element of the planet - Masli for the free-flying birds, K'mess for the viciousness of reptiles, Issili for the intelligent dolphins, and Boa for the simple lifestyle of the Meerkats.

Society -

Most of Avatar life is free. There are few rules, and no laws.

The following names are important to know.

Lik'ma - The leader. Every race of avatars are led by a different Lik'ma. The Lik'mas are chosen by different traits by each subspecies. All, however, drop their original name and are called only the Lik'ma. During Avatar Reunions, the four Lik'mas meet and discuss new and existing laws, and arrive at answers to problems.

Silmak - the Guardians. These Avatars are trained to fight, and defend their people from harm and danger. It is a voluntary position, and lasts for twenty seasons - however, most Silmak volunteer to continue their entire lives.

Nixes - the Religious. The Avatars were created by a Maker named Kiemo. She speaks to the Nixes in their dreams. The Nixes keep the word of Kiemo, and spread it to their people.

Youth. These are the Avatars below sixteen seasons, but more than six seasons. Youth are independent of parents. They are responsible for caring for the babes, and other miscellaneous tasks assigned by adults. Each Avatar has a different name for their youth.

Babes. Too young to be considered Youth, these Avatars are still being watched over by their parents. When not in their parents' care, they are watched over by the youth.

The adults that do not become the Lik'ma, Silmak or Nixes are responsible for feeding their group, and raising the next generation.

Biologically, the Avatars are all one species, and are interbreedable. They live for about twenty years.

Reunion - This happens every full moon. The four Avatars meet in a plain, which they have named the Plain of Skin, Scales and Feathers. Essentially, its a hang-out time for the four, but the Lik'mas do not celebrate; instead they coordinate the livelihood of the four Avatars.

Names - Avatar names are such - Clan, Colour, Name. It acts to narrow down the individual until they are distinguishable from their people. The clan refers to the pattern of their covering - each subspecies have two levels, one with solid colours and one with a pattern. The groups are split in half in this way. The Colour is the main colour of their covering, and you may notice that most of these are in Latin; I like the sound of those. There are about half a dozen of each colour at any time. Then the name is the individual's name, which is chosen not by their looks but by the parents and their choice. So, Ok'ravi Ais Isra is of the Ok'ravi clan, with bronze plumage, and she is known as Isra.

Masli - Air.

These are bird-people, and Isra lays claim to these people. They are about 5'6" overall, with incredibly thin, lithe bodies. Like, super-model thin, without all the bony-ness. They are covered head to toe in down and semiplume feathers. Their faces, hands and feet are bare, and their head is covered with longer feathers, much like a cockatoo's crest, but much softer and more hair-like. It raises and lowered in conjuction with their emotions. Their feet are much like a parrot's, but instead of two toes forward and two back, there are three forward and two back. They have strong, curved black talons, on their hands and feet, to allow them to climb. They are most comfortable in the trees - walking flat-footed is awkward.